Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter.
Let's get to it.
MangoWango21: He'll appear soon enough.
Us navy: I'm doing it purely for my own enjoyment and to nerd out. I like exercising my imagination even if just for myself, and this is just me exercising my imagination.
MatbeK01: They'll face each other eventually. And no, I will confirm Leia won't die. I think the only reason she did in canon is because Carrie Fisher died and they had no choice but to kill her off. Since I'm not burdened by that, she will live.
fb111a: Even when it comes to criminals, the Terrans aren't about just completely wasting a planet. And while I didn't mention it, nukes were used against Nal Hutta, primarily to scare the surviving Hutts.
Chapter 76- A Great Stand
(August 1, 2052)
As the sun is beginning to set over the the planet Falleen, a series of explosions rocks a small settlement that is home to a factory manufacturing explosives. Surrounding the settlement is a sea of stormtroopers, laying siege to the settlement. And inside the settlement is a now understrength division of Irish soldiers.
Only two weeks have passed since the capture of Toydaria, devastation of Nal Hutta, and destruction of the fleet at Mimban. Keeping up the momentum, the Alliance had pushed onward towards the planet of Falleen. With the industrial sectors on the planet, capturing it would be a big blow to the manufacturing power of the First Order, and give the Alliance access to more hyperspace lanes.
However, the First Order had been preparing for this, seemingly expecting an attack on Falleen soon. They had a large fleet over the planet, and large armies planetside. In addition, reinforcements had brought more troopers to the planet since the battle began two days ago. A multitude of battles were occurring across the planet. Although the Alliance now had control of a majority of the planet, the First Order was still fighting.
Some of the stormtroopers had launched counterattacks to try and recapture settlements with smaller Terran forces protecting them. One of them was this settlement, which had been captured and was being held by the Irish Division.
When the Grysk War began, Ireland began raising a larger army. Traditionally, their army was only a few thousand personnel dedicated mostly to home defense and peacekeeping operations. However, the Irish decided to raise an entire division that we dedicated for deployment in the war. The division, known simply as the Irish Division, had served well in the Grysk War before being reassigned to Andromeda following the outbreak of the war with the First Order. Mostly, the division had been on defensive duties, serving on the garrison at Naboo. Now, they had been committed to offensive actions as part of the attack on Falleen.
The division had captured the settlement and the factory quickly in the initial assault and been ordered to hold it. The surprise came 40 hours later, when a large army of stormtroopers assaulted the city. The Irish had been holding the city for 10 hours now. They had so far sustained almost 3,000 casualties. So far, they had managed to hold the settlement, but the First Order was battering their lines, and the commanders were very concerned about being able to hold the settlement. They had called for reinforcements, but as of now, the rest of the ground forces were otherwise occupied with remaining First Order ground forces. It could be some time before reinforcements can arrive, and air support has been minimal so far.
At a position just next to the main gate into the city, a young Irish lieutenant named Sean Collins is manning a machine gun nest. The gate has been one of the primary spots where the First Order has focused its attack. Over a thousand soldiers are positioned around the gate, with some multiple heavy machine gun nests and some of the division's little artillery they have.
Lieutenant Collins is laser focused on the stormtroopers massing for another attack on the gate. The troopers are lingering just beyond effective range for the defender's weapons, so all is relatively quiet for now. However, the soldiers are all waiting with their fingers on the triggers, ready to attack as soon as the troopers come within range.
"We hold them here, men. Every minute we hold out is a minute more we have to get reinforcements!" Collins shouts.
"We don't need 'em!" a soldier in another gun nest shouts in return, which is answered by multiple cheers from other soldiers. Collins can't help but smile. Despite their bad situation, the men's morale seems to be holding relatively well.
The soldiers quiet down, continuing to wait for the troopers to come at them. Finally, as one, the hundreds of stormtroopers come charging at the gate in a massive wave.
"Open fire!" Lieutenant Collins bellows, and the soldiers let loose with their machine guns and mortars. Dozens of stormtroopers are killed in seconds, but the troopers keep coming.
The Irish continue to pour fire down at the charging stormtroopers, cutting down dozens with every seconds. The troopers try ro return fire, but most of their bolts miss. A single AT-ST walker, one of the few the stormtroopers still have, comes into range and starts firing its laser cannons. However, two soldiers pop up with the latest model Javelin anti-armor missile and fire. The missiles smash through the AT-ST's thin armor and completely wreck the cabin. The walker quickly topples over as the top of the walker burns.
However, the Irish are not completely lucky. A TIE fighter comes streaking down out of the sky, strafing the Irish positions with its laser cannons. About 20 troops are killed before one of the soldiers manages to launch a MANPADS missile, bringing down the TIE fighter.
The soldiers, despite mourning their comrades, continue firing at the incoming troopers. Eventually, their level of fire overwhelms the stormtroopers, and they retreat back out of firing range. They've taken hundreds of casualties in a very short time, while causing only a few dozen to the Irish. However, they've also caused the Irish to use up a lot of their firearm ammunition.
Lieutenant Collins is aware of this. He finds himself praying that they don't overuse their ammunition to the point that they run out. They won't have enough blasters in the division to fend off the marauding stormtroopers.
(Hours later)
An explosion from an artillery round lights up the night sky over the settlement. From his position atop the gate, Lieutenant Collins can briefly see the stormtroopers in the distance without needing to use his night vision goggles. He then quickly ducks back behind the wall again to avoid getting noticed.
As night fell over the planet, the stormtroopers had shifted tactics. They had started making probing attacks, never coming close enough to be in real danger, but close enough that the Irish fire at them and waste some of their ammunition in the process. They also periodically fire at the walls, trying to keep the Irish awake so that they get worn out, making them more vulnerable to direct attacks.
Lieutenant Collins and his men have now been up for almost 20 hours, and starting to get very tired. However, they know they can't afford to really go to sleep. Not that they would be able to if they wanted to, probably.
"Lieutenant, troopers approaching!" one of the lookouts calls out.
"Ready weapons!" Collins calls out. Soldiers hurry to get positioned and ready their weapons. Lieutenant Collins slides on his night-vision goggles, and watches as hundreds of troops come running at the walls. However, right as they get close and Collins gives the order to open fire, the troops turn tail and run again. Only two troopers are hit and killed before they retreat back out of range.
Collins growls in frustration and drops his weapon onto one of the cushions they're using to make the gun nest a little more comfortable. Then, he hears the sound blasters firing. Glancing over the wall, he sees the stormtroopers are firing wildly at the wall. However, they're not trying to even hit anything, and Collins knows it. They're just trying to make noise to keep the men awake and wear them down.
Collins and his men wait for a few minutes for the blaster fire to subside. Finally, it does, but the tension in the air is still palpable.
Again, darkness settles over the battlefield, almost entirely obscuring the enemy's lines. The Irish are trying to keep their spirits, but it is becoming more challenging than ever. As Collins looks across the wall, he can see the looks on the faces of his men, and can see the concern and worry on a few faces.
"Come on, men! We are Irish! We never back down from an enemy, and we're not about to now! We fight for freedom, and we will never stop!" Collins shouts to his men.
Several of them cheer in response, and Collins can see more of his men smile a bit. Then, from a little along the wall, he suddenly hears the voice of one of his men. Not just speaking, but singing. Singing lyrics that are familiar to every Irishman:
By a lonely prison wall, I heard a young girl caaalllling…
Michael, they have taken you away.
Collins and many of the men feel smiles cross their faces as they hear those words they know so well. Around Collins, several of his men begin to join in:
For you stole Travelyan's corn, so the young might see the morn.
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay.
Collins raise his head a bit. If they are going to die tonight or tomorrow, they are going to show the First Order that they are not afraid and will never surrender. "Sing, men! Sing for our mother Ireland!"
All of the men, hundreds of them, positioned around the gate, hear Collins' shout. Having heard the singing began, the entire battalion joins in the song,
Low lie the fields of Athenry!
Where once we watched the small, free birds fly!
Our love was on the wing!
We had dreams and songs to sing!
It's so lonely, round the fields of Athenry!
Collins smiles as the men begin to sing the second verse of the song, a tear coming to his eye as he remembers his home in Ireland just outside Galway, and his mind is flooded with memories of his homeland. The images flashing through his mind's eye send a surge of pride and determination through his mind. Yes, he will do his homeland proud by fighting with all of his strength here today.
While this has been happening, one of the men in the battalion turned on the radio so the sound of the singing can be heard by all of the division. Within seconds, this mood begins to spread throughout the Irish Division.
Soon, outside the settlement, stormtroopers dug in around the settlement feel a chill run down their spines, as from out of the settlement, they can hear the voices of thousands of Irish soldiers singing together, singing defiantly of their homeland:
Low lie the fields of Athenry!
Where once we watched the small, free birds fly!
Our love was on the wing!
We had dreams and songs to sing.
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry!
The stormtroopers begin to feel very unnerved. They had seen Terran troops do many things in battle that were foreign to them, but singing as an entire unit, and sounding relatively cheerful while doing it, is new to them. And it is very unnerving for soldiers trained like the stormtroopers. They realize that the Irish are not frightened of them at all, and still have so much hope that they will sing like this in the middle of battle. Some of the officers begin to get worried that they are doing this to psych themselves up for a charge against them, and order for their troopers to pull back a little bit to prepare for an attack in the morning.
And all the while, the voices of the Irish can be heard, the lyrics of "The Fields of Athenry" echoing over the landscape, showing the stormtroopers that the Irish spirit will not be broken.
(The following morning)
As the sun is rising over the landscape, Lieutenant Collins awakes from a brief nap when one of his men shakes him awake. "Lieutenant, looks like those troopers are starting to mass for an assault!" the corporal who woke him says urgently.
Lieutenant Collins quickly is up on his knees, still staying low to avoid getting shot at. Sure enough, the First Order's army is starting to move towards the walls of the settlement. He's a little concerned that if this is the main attack, the division won't be able to withstand it. There are only a little over 18,000 troops fit for combat now.
"Ready up, men!" Collins shouts. In seconds, every soldier surrounding the gates is awake, has readied their weapons, and is ready to fight.
Collins watches the troopers slowly coming towards the settlement. They've received a few more walkers and armored vehicles, and are using them to screen their troops. Collins quietly curses the First Order for this, knowing this is gonna make it harder to hit the foot soldiers, especially since they've used most of their anti-armor missiles already.
Then, Collins sees something coming over the hills far in the distance. Pulling out his binocks, he zooms in on what he just spotted coming over the hills. At first, he's worried it's reinforcements for the First Order. Then, as he gets a better look, a great smile comes over his face as he recognizes the distinct shape of French AMX-65 tanks. The AMX-65 was France's newest tank that they had introduced just 10 years ago. Bearing some design similarities to the Leclerc tank, it also used an improved version of the Leclerc's 120mm gun. Even though the gun was less effective than the bigger guns now being used on many other Terran tanks, the fact that it was simply an improvement of an existing gun made the AMX-65 much cheaper than other newer Terran tanks, meaning much more of them could be produced for cheaper prices.
"It's the reinforcements!" Collins bellows. The soldiers around him begin to cheer wildly, realizing they are going to live through this.
Miles away, the tanks and troops of the French 3rd and 7th Divisions are advancing towards the First Order's positions. The French had defeated a different army the previous day in defense of a major industrial complex. When the general in command of the invasion learned of the plight of the Irish Division, he had immediately detached the two French divisions to reinforce them. The French had been travelling almost 20 hours straight, covering almost 600 miles to reach the Irish position. Although they are certainly tired, the French know that they can't afford to take any time to rest. And so, the tanks gun their engines to full power, rolling over the bumpy land at top speed as they wait to get within firing range. Armored personnel carriers and trucks following close behind with the infantry, who are making final checks of their weapons.
The First Order are completely unaware that they are about to be sandwiched between two Terran forces. That is, until the first 120mm shells from the French tanks tear into their positions, destroying several walkers and killing several stormtroopers. Instantly, the troopers are thrown into a panic as they turn and see the two French divisions barreling towards them. Formations fo stormtroopers scatter as the officers in command try to reassert control, but there is no hope of escaping.
In the process of trying to get away from the French, many stormtroopers inadvertently come within range of the Irish troops mounted atop the walls. With shouts of defiance, the Irish troops open fire with every weapon they have. Bullets, blaster bolts, and artillery shells rip through the troopers, killing hundreds.
Atop the walls, Lieutenant Collins smiles as he shifts his rifle around, firing with great precision and gunning multiple stormtroopers. At last, he can feel a sense of relief, knowing that he and his men are going to survive.
(Orbit over Falleen)
In the CIC of the battlecruiser Shinano, Admiral Tanaka, the commander of the assault on Falleen, is listening to reports coming in from the planet's surface. At last, the battle of Falleen is all but over.
The battle for the planet has been going for a few days now, and is finally ending. Only a few pockets of resistance remain on the planet, and those will be quelled quickly. At last, Falleen is in Terran hands.
The operation has come at a cost. Several warships were lost in orbit, and tens of thousands of men were killed or wounded in the ground battles. However, they had wiped out a much larger First Order force, and the story of the stand of the Irish Division is already spreading through the ranks of the invasion force. And Tanaka knows that the story is soon going to spread beyond just this invasion force.
The capture of Falleen is a major step forward to the Alliance. It removes a major industrial center from First Order control, and now the Alliance has paths to many more worlds to liberate.
The war is really about to kick into high gear.
And, I'll end there. Hope you liked this one.
Hope you liked the story of the Irish Division and their stand. After watching the movie Zulu recently (fantastic movie by the way), I decided to include a scene of the Irish singing to intimidate their enemies and raise their morale.
For those wondering, the song they were singing, the Fields of Athenry, is one of those songs where everyone in Ireland knows it, and it strikes a chord with the Irish. It's also often sung by Irish fans at sporting events as a show of support for their team and challenge to the opposing team, and watching videos of it, it sends a chill when you hear 20+ thousand people singing it all at once. So, I chose it for this scene.
Next chapter will be up soon, and will again be one where we focus on a few of our regular characters. I'll give you a hint. Anakin will be returning.
Alright. Next chapter will be up soon. Until it is, please leave a review, and stay tuned!