Chapter 6: Our Last Stand?
Note: Readers please listen to Red Alert 2 Eagle Hunter while reading this bit.
We're now at the rally point in PS3 City which is near the gate, we arrived there via Noire's car after seeing various spectacular skyscrapers with it's different features of arches, balconies, water slides, gardens, swimming pools and even roads, and some that can even rotate, and other great landmarks of this city like statues and fountains. Right now we're at the centre in this glorious metropolis, surrounded by our own loyal troops. They are all dressed like me including some Bandicoots along with Crash and Coco who are cheering, with the occasional wolf whistles. They all appear to be well fed, strong, well armoured and well equipped, as they carry their own Lastation high tech weapons and have their own shields. Despite the situation their morale is high and they are determined to fight to the death for Lastation, which is something that I admire in them, and from what I see and what I believe I can ask for no better troops to have, than these guys right here.
I notice how they appreciate their leaders from their cheers and wolf whistles, because Noire and Uni do a bit of attractive dancing to keep the morale high. They hold their rifles and shields up in the air cheering as well, they even do so in unison. They even chant Lastation as well as The Black CPUs. It is then Noire makes her patriotic passionate speech:
"Thank you all for your kind support and believing in me, as your leader of this perfect nation. I believe all of you to be the best citizens of Gameindustri, I mean you have still voted for me and supported me even though we are losing. You're even willing to die here with all of us, I don't know about you but I do not intend to surrender to Leanbox. And though it saddens me that we were forced to kill many enemy troops as well as the loss, I do admire each of you for continuing to fight so that we may restore peace to Gameindustri. We know and have seen for ourselves how great our place is, how future proof it is, how it does everything for the better. And I appreciate how we are all fighting to keep this haven, this utopia alive. I can say with pride that I have reason to believe I am reunited with my brother, his name is: Lord Black Lead." She speaks loudly to them, though sounding happy in how proud she is of her troops and of her nation. Though sometimes she sounded sad over how we're losing and the spilt blood.
Everyone cheers as Noire gestures me with her arm to say something.
"OK. I want everyone to set up defensive positions around the wall; Intel says we'll be attacked by infantry and lots of it." I talk loudly but with no anger.
Noire then says a word of encouragement.
"Do your best guys and know full well you have made me, Uni and Black very proud to be your leaders. We will win this battle." Noire says with a smile on her face doing a brief pose.
All of us rush to various positions around the walls. I now notice how the walls are thick enough for us to mount on them. We're able to climb up via the stairs, ladders and ramps there as we lie on top of the wall, with our guns pointing outwards. Some of us are looking under scopes calmly, waiting patiently for the enemy to come.
I look at the troops and see all of them determined, none of them frightened, none of them worried. My gut tells me that they're all very well experienced, and they're troops of very high quality, especially from having advanced weapons with many attachments. I know they have plenty of ammunition for them, including each clip that they have and they even have riot shields. I switch to the launcher aiming it at the maximum range it can go. I don't see anyone from Leanbox though. I do however notice the numbers at the bottom right of my HUD say 1/9.
I can just predict that with the weapons we have at our disposal it'll be a blood bath, but what concerns me is do we have enough ammunition to kill them all?
As odd as it may sound although I am fan of guns especially powerful ones, I am not much of a great fan of killing, even if it is soldiers as they're just like me fighting for their own nation, like I am with mine. And I know that there will be a lot of dead enemies, and it is rather unfortunate that it is either them dead or us dead. Though it'll probably be a combination of the two.
I look to find that Noire is to my right and Uni is to my left with their weapons poised, and it does make me feel good to be fighting side by side with them. In the distance to my left along the wall I see Crash, Coco and their fellow Bandicoots with the same determination and confidence. It is then I see Noire talking via radio to her generals.
"Lara is taken to hospital, they'll be alright in a couple of days." Ben says to Noire.
"That's excellent, I'll have to see if I can drop by to see how she's doing, any idea on Parasoul's ETA?" Noire asks pleased with the good news.
"Negative." Ben responds sounding calm.
"Do you know how far away the Leanbox soldiers are, because none of us can see them." Noire asks with concern.
"They're about 8.5 kilometres away." Ben replies.
"OK, Black Heart out." Noire finishes talking on the radio.
She then speaks to me afterwards.
"I'm a bit baffled as to why they decided to strike when Lara was outside, instead of striking when we were outside?" Noire says with a minor bewildered look on her face.
"Maybe they have been watching Lastation's movements. Though I'm just as confused as you are about this." I suggest to her.
"Yeah but why Lara but not us? I mean due to our advanced technology Lara will be back to full health in a few days. Which makes me wonder why has their surprise attack caused only a few minor casualties? It's not like they even tried, I find this very strange." Noire speaks, she sounds and looks a bit puzzled.
"You have a point Noire, it depends on what they know about her. Maybe a few days is all that Leanbox needs to win." I say while thinking hard and trying to apply logic with regards to what they did.
"Yes Lara is very smart, she has been responsible for various intelligence duties and she is able to solve puzzles and break codes. I mean she has been one of my best soldiers but with no disrespect to her, I have other troops at my disposal." Noire says to me. She smiles over Lara's accomplishments while looking puzzled at this situation.
"It is fishy as to why ambush Lara instead of us both, and why attack with loads of infantry instead of using tanks, planes and artillery?" I ask.
"My only guess is that as of now they intend to humiliate us, imagine this scenario: We lose one of our most important people to a predator missile, or at least get sent to hospital and then imagine losing the 7th console war to an army of infantry, as soon as it began. Although my gut says there's more to this than meets the eye." Noire tries to explain but she isn't sure.
"I agree we can probably find out together." I add in agreement.
I look at the wall and notice there's a green health bar and the numbers 1,000,000/1,000,000. I'm relieved to know the wall looks solid and has a lot of health points. But there is one thing that concerns me, I ask Noire a question to confirm my concerns.
"I apologise if this is a silly question, but is it possible for the Leanbox infantry to destroy the wall by shooting at it loads of times?" I ask casually.
"It's alright, your question ain't silly. The answer is yes they can." Noire replies sounding very understanding.
It figures as I can remember doing that in a Real Time Strategy Game. If that's the case I hope we can hold them off long enough, so that we can diminish their numbers enough before the wall breaks down. I then respond to Noire.
"In that case we should leave the wall, when the health reaches 100,000." I suggest.
"Yeah good idea we could ambush them again at the gate." Noire proposes.
"Agreed we'll split up into two groups, each of us heading for Nameco and Sunny. With luck they'll split up into these 2 buildings, and we can hold them off inside with our additional civilians, using the lifts to flank them on different floors." I plan aloud.
"Great plan I can hack into the CCTV, lifts and electricity of the buildings, and then I can inform you of the enemy location. Thing is I'll need a TV, I can use my PSP as a keyboard and the TV as a monitor, there should be one in one of the rooms in the skyscrapers." Uni suggests
"Good, awesome how we all agree. OK Crash when I give you the word, I want you and Coco to escort our troops back to Sunny and Nameco. Me, Uni and Noire will cover you, OK?" I order politely.
Crash grunts and nods as well as gesturing the OK symbol with his fingers. I know he meant yes.
"I like the plan Black, it's what I would have done and it's an awesome suggestion Uni. I mean the thing is we don't have many troops as it is without them dying, so we need to keep them alive for as long as possible. While at the same time we need to take out as many Leanbox soldiers as possible. We have lots of health, it's a pity our brave soldiers do not have as much, even though they have Lastation bullet proof vests and shields which are future proof, but my troops are well trained even the civilians have plenty of combat experience. I just hope our quality will beat their vastly superior numbers, I don't think we can bleed them or demoralise them into retreating or surrendering." Noire speaks with a concerned yet optimistic tone.
I like how we both come up with the same plan, and Uni certainly adds a useful suggestion. It's awesome how Noire's kind enough to explain, why we should send the troops to the skyscrapers before the walls crumble, confirming our plan to be good.
"Good luck everyone, I know we will all do our best!" Noire yells to everyone but with no anger at all.
Our troops cheer in appreciation before we all play the waiting game…
It feels like a long time as every second that passes…
Feels like an hour…
I know they're coming but I don't see them yet….
It's like the calm before the storm…..
I have confidence in my plan however…
We all do…..
And I'm sure it's the best one we've got…..
Thing is though why attack with infantry…..
It still baffles me….
Just like with their pathetic attempt at mind control….
And their attack on Lara….
Maybe they believe we're at the verge of defeat…..
Perhaps they're just taunting us with that fact…..
My gut says there must be a powerful puppeteer…..
And maybe the CPUs…
Are just….
Puppets….
I notice how we're all quiet…..
Waiting patiently…
Everyone's fingers are on the trigger….
All we can do is focus…
Focus at the horizon waiting….
Waiting…..
Waiting for their army to come…..
And now I see the Leanbox army at last, they all wear woodland camouflage combat jeans along with grey hoodies. They're all walking together cradling their guns. Though they appear to be fed and determined to fight, they don't appear to have as good equipment as us. I dunno they don't have shields, their weapons appear more basic. I reckon we have the advantage in quality, at least it means the fight is more in our favour.
We all then get ready to aim our launchers. After me, Uni and Noire give the order to attack we all fire at the same time, I can see a volley of 40mm grenades launched leaving a trail of smoke behind each grenade like an arc, almost like fireworks. Our anti-tank guns have been fired too, leaving a trail as well from the shell forming a similar sight to the grenades. I see the grenades and shells head closer and closer to the enemy, and I know that when it hits them it'll be deadly indeed. As the catastrophic carnage is about to begin.