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Between the Hammer and Anvil: Prologue
Posted By: Turpertrator<pneumatika@netzero.net>
Date: 28 July 2006, 3:27 am
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Between the Hammer and Anvil
Prologue: Skirmishes and Consequences
"History is not so full of happy endings as it is of struggle and pain. But history is full of people that only want to hear happy endings. Create a happy ending, even an impossible one, and passionately offer it to the citizens of Asia. They are tired of their struggle for their hollow hopes; they are weary of their meaningless lives. Many will sell their souls to chase the dream you create for them. This is the power you have; use it for the good of the Emperor."
- Marshal Onitumi Hasegawa to the United Asia Ministry of Information and Public Enlightenment staff, undated memo
"Emperor Viktor Turpolev is like one of the Great Khans, he is a Napoleon of the East, a new Ivan the Great, like Nebuchadnezzar of old. He is the leader of a new Golden Horde and a new golden era!"
- "Proclamation of Viktor Turpolev as Knyaz and Father of the United Asia" AsiaNet report, "Emperor's Day" June 1, 2537
21:07 November 2, 2542. UEC Temporary Defense Post "Asia Redoubt4"
"I heard the Covenant glassed Joslin Prime," said the melancholy Second Lieutenant. "It's only a matter of time before they start finding the Inner Colonies." He hung his head, staring pathetically into his glass that sat on the one table in the small trailer.
United Earth Corps Captain Steve Maverick had been enjoying his drink in the temporary officer's mess before his favorite Lieutenant had to go and ruin the mood. The Captain was concerned all this doom and gloom was going to rub off on the men, if it had not already. Marines can be such a superstitious bunch.
The Lieutenant continued, "Why can't Turpolev see that he is condemning all of humanity by continuing to lead this divisive war against the UNSC? Even with all of Asia behind him, he knows he can't win against the Corps, let alone the Covenant."
The Captain sighed; talking politics with junior officers was always a bad idea. He really did not want this conversation. "As if every citizen of Asia likes those traitors in Bishkek."
"No," the Lieutenant answered, "but how do you fight against a propaganda machine like what Marshal Hasegawa has put together? Nine billion people and they all had to learn Unified Chinese just to get food rations. If he had AsiaNet say 'the sky is purple,' everyone in Asia would agree. The Clowns keep destroying the rebel armies, but who are they? And nobody is joining the Blue Faction or starting a civil war to overthrow Turpolev."
Maverick had heard the rumors about some "clown" group destroying bases and entire armies sent out to hunt them down, but he did not know how much to believe. The Blue Faction were supposed to be an army of freedom fighters that never joined up with the wannabe Asian empire. Of course, everyone had an opinion about what they really were and who they were loyal to. "The Blue Faction or whatever are not UNSC ..." The Lieutenant grimaced at him. "But even if they are, we can't talk about it. You know the protocols. Besides, there are other groups that want reunification."
The Lieutenant was incredulous, "What, like those protestors in Johor? They were all ..." The Captain heard a slap sound, and the junior officer slumped in his chair. The steward behind the bar, the only other soul in the room, hit the floor, hard. The Lieutenant's sickening death rattle came through parted lips with his eyes still wide open.
Capt. Maverick dove to the floor and lay prone. Even as he tried to call his other Lieutenant on the COM, he looked up at the walls of the temporary building. Two holes had penetrated the unarmored structure. His eyes were wide in amazement. How could any blind sniper could hit his men with such accuracy? The walls were insulated against heat and anything but transparent, yet both of the men had been killed. A disturbing thought moved in and started bullying out everything else, Why didn't they take a shot at me?
Maverick was barely surprised that he could raise no response; the COM was jammed. But someone had gotten to the battle stations alarm, and it started blaring throughout the fortified outpost and - Maverick knew - several clicks away at division HQ. Several explosions in rapid succession detonated somewhere nearby. Grenades? Rockets? The Captain was not sure; this was nothing like the battle simulations. He started belly crawling towards the door when it swung open and in crawled First Sergeant Scott Gammel. "It's good to see you, sir," Gammel said with obvious relief. "We're getting hit bad."
21:09 November 2, 2542. United Asia Uprising East Command, somewhere under Beijing
The speaker wore a long lab coat, and behind him was a huge screen, split down the middle to display a bird's eye view of two different skirmishes. "On the right we have a full company of four platoons under the command of Captain Kalo Kamija, attacking the UNSC defense post near Old Singapore. On the left is a single platoon under the command of Sokor, a first generation InfComAI. Sokor is attacking the 'border' post near Gaza."
The scientist continued, "United Asia Intelligence services have told us both outposts are defended by UNSC garrisons of company strength, which is two platoons per company, with a highly-mobile force of division strength in reserve. Both Kamija and Sokor were ordered to capture or kill the UNSC outpost commander and withdraw before the enemy reserves could be brought up."
Dr. Cho looked out at his audience of generals and commanders with a feeling of deep satisfaction. He had been working for this day for twenty years, since before the Uprising had been anything but an urgent dream. He reveled that he was about to reveal how the war against the corruption of the United Nations Space Command was going to be won. Cho nodded toward General Varnashev, the head of Uprising Military Intelligence. "Tell us about the makeup of our armed forces and why AI infantry commanders are needed."
Expecting the queue, Varnashev stood and addressed the three hundred commanders assembled in the secret underground auditorium. "We have 380 million men in our standing forces, with another billion that could be conscripted. However, we have less than two million line and command officers. Many divisions are commanded by Captains, companies by Lieutenants, entire platoons by Kaprals." He did not need to remind these commanders about the epidemic of insubordination that had already led to mass desertions and the fragging of unpopular commanders. "Using InfComs, we will be able to enforce discipline, overcome our lack of command experience in the field and overwhelm any force the UNSC dares send against us."
Cho nodded in appreciation to the General and continued, "We will force the UNSC to give us peace because they cannot defeat us. We will then take our stand with the corrupters against the alien Covenant - when all men know that to destroy us will be to destroy humanity."
Small arms fire and small explosions continued to pound out on both screens. The green markers identifying "friendlies" showed that large numbers of Captain Kamija's men were bunched together as they used weak cover to approach their target. On the left screen, there were less markers, they were more spread apart, and red markers identified enemy targets.
21:15 November 2, 2542. Aboard the Frigate Maredrom in synchronous orbit above Xianggang, Earth.
"Sir, why does the UNSC allow the rebellion to open hostilities like this without terminating the armistice?" asked the intelligence officer-in-training. The newly commissioned Lieutenant did not want to be presumptious, but the Colonel had made it clear he was to speak freely inside their "command pod" on board this stealthy frigate.
Colonel Edgar turned to the Lieutenant, "It's all about perception, son. The rebellion has to have complete control of Asia by 2545, or the armistice is forfeit. As long as our Blue Faction commandos claim to be against the rebellion but unaffiliated with the UNSC, the boys in Bishkek can pretend to be Blue Faction themselves and test our strength by attacking UNSC outposts."
"But that traitor Turpolev knows who the Blue Faction is loyal to ..." the Lieutenant began.
The senior intelligence officer interrupted. "Of course they do, just like we know these poor fellows attacking Sing and Gaza are really working for Turpolev and that bastard Hasegawa. But I'd bet you your salary that those troopers are wearing little Blue Faction insignia on their uniforms. It's all about perception. But don't worry about this, it will be over soon enough. Admiral Johnson is sending in some special reinforcements."
21:17 November 2, 2542. Near New Shyrchern (Singapore)
The defenders were still putting up a fight, but the battle was over. Captain Kamija was pleased that his tactics had worked so well against an entrenched enemy. The frontal assault had cost him over half of his men, but the charge had broken the resolve of the UNSC garrison - who valued their own lives more than defending their little outpost. The enemy Captain was shackled and hooded and being herded towards the rendezvous point.
Kamija's thoughts were on the awards he would be receiving for this success, even as his command staff and the prisoner made their way with him to their transports. One good thing about an army that was desperate for experienced soldiers was that any successful action was sure to earn accolades. After he reviewed the mission he would be recommending promotions for all of his men that had served well: Kapral for every enlisted man, Sergeant Fourth Class for every enlisted man that had a confirmed kill, Private First Class for the conscripts. He wondered if he would make Major, perhaps be given a special combat action ribbon.
Kamija's self-congratulation was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a violent sizzling in the sky above. "HEVs, sir" his COM tech said, barely controlling his shaking voice.
A pang of fear in the pit of Captain Kamija's stomach made his entire body tremble: one squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers could probably eliminate his entire surviving force. The hooded prisoner started to snicker until one of the guards smashed a rifle butt into his side. Kamija counted six burning points of light falling rapidly to somewhere between his position and their fallback point. The Captain began barking orders to change tactics, demanding the troops to his rear to disengage and attack their new target.
Six exo-atmospheric landing pods thudded into the earth, and six "cockpit" hatches were blown off with thundering explosions.
Guided by an invisible will, three Uprising snipers turned, sighted in, and pulled their triggers. They paused, aimed at newly assigned targets, and fired again.
Uprising East Command
There was a collective gasp in the auditorium. Colonel Charles knew that most of the commanders around him had been officers of the UNSC like he had once been, before their rebellion in league with Emperor Turpolev. The Colonel knew they had never seen ODSTs gunned down like this without so much as a fight. Everyone seemed to be smiling, there was a murmur of a cheer. These AIs would turn the tide of war.
The scientist, Cho, was on his feet again and was clearly pleased with this stunning success. "A squad of hydroponics farmers and factory laborers can defeat the UNSC's most highly trained solders!" He said something about how Sokor had only been training with these conscripts for two weeks and Kamija had been training for months, but Charles was not really listening. He was still pondering his nagging question. What if Cho is right about fighting with the UNSC against the Covenant?
"Polkovnik Charles, what is your question?" the doctor asked with respect. Colonel Charles had never quite understood that if Unified Chinese was the official language of United Asia, why most military ranks were still in English or ancient Russian.
The senior soldier asked about only part of what he was thinking; but the elated doctor said more than he should have. "In my lab, I have developed a new class of rampancy-resistant AIs using only a seventh of a standard UNSC AI core. My mini-cores can be produced at drastically reduced cost and duplicated quickly. I will train my staff how to go into full production as soon as I return. Once other factories are developed, we will be able to produce at least 20 cores per day per factory."
If the rumor was true that ONI had a mole embedded within the Uprising command structure, they could deduce far too much from the scientist's brief statement. The Colonel would be sure to report this breach of security to Marshal Hasegawa. After all, Charles happened to know that ONI had an informant in this very auditorium.
As the doctor continued with his dog and pony show, Charles observed the human Captain on the right hand screen trying to rally his men. The incursion of the UNSC special forces had cut off his withdrawal, and most of his forces would still be at least half a kilometer behind him by the time the ODSTs were on him. Charles knew that they were near already, advancing in an inverted wedge, even though no one could see them in their dark, cooled, armored jumpsuits.
In the pause before the hammer fell on that very lonely group of men, Charles' thoughts wandered to his first drop with the "Death Comets." The rush sweeping over you as the pod launches, the heat . . . the terrible heat hitting atmo, the hard landing, the killing . . . the massacre of the rebels . . . But Charles could not even remember what world that had been. Now I'm a rebel myself . . . He forced himself into the present to avoid his tortured thoughts.
A tactician his entire adult life, the Colonel reviewed Kamija's position and options. There was no force with which to envelope the Special Forces in a pincer movement. Kamija had the men to envelope the ODSTs, but not the position. Rather, the captain was about to become the salient, encircled and destroyed. Do the ODSTs know that we have captured the base commander?
Somewhere near New Shyrchern
When your enemy has superiority of arms, Kamija remembered his instructor saying, you must change the situation to level the fight or tip it in your favor. Level was actually the problem, Kamija thought. He wished the ground was more hilly.
It was ironic, really. The UNSC had trained Kamija for years before he willing joined the Uprising, obtaining the commission he had deserved for so very long. Now he was using the UNSC's own tactics against them, or at least trying to. He was still a long way from home, and the strongest enemies he had ever faced were seeking him to destroy him. He still had to either kill or evade them just to see his next sunrise.
His command staff was laying down flat behind the shallowest of hills, desperately waiting for the rest of the company to arrive. Kamija held his sidearm against the Earth Corps captain, ready to kill his prisoner should this engagement go the wrong way. A chilling, anxious fear clutched at them all as the seconds became centuries. Against wisdom, one of the prisoner's guards finally moved in order to see - anything except this terrifying waiting. He lifted his head just enough to steal a look into the night, and it nearly exploded as a burst of fire ripped through his skull.
An instant later, there was a silhouette cresting the hill. Weapons fired, boiling the darkness in light and thunder. The attacker was hit and fell back, but not before he had killed or wounded everyone except Capt. Kamija and his prisoner.
Another dark figure, blacker than the night he was hidden in, ran towards Kamija's flank. The ODST's pace slowed, and his carbine took aim at the Uprising Captain. The next moment was a blur for Kamija. Not thinking, not planning, just pure training; bullets struck near him, his pistol turned and fired, a bullet smashed into the faceplate of the ODST and he fell. While the buzzing in his ears continued, Captain Kalo Kamija was aware of nothing except for the dying breath of the prisoner and Kamija's own heavy breathing.
Colonel Charles was impressed. Reverse slope defense. Hostage shield. He had at least temporarily deterred the ODST interdiction. If he survives, I may have a use for him. The Colonel wondered what would become of this "UEC Capt Maverick, S" that Sokor had already interred and processed back at its underground base. Bargaining chip? Lab rat?
Colonel Edgar pondered this surprising turn of events. His assistant was stunned, as if something he strongly believed had just been proven a lie. "Didn't think ODSTs could die?" the senior intelligence officer mused aloud. "Still, I've never seen a whole squad go down like that. What did you say took them out?"
"Just . . . just sniper fire, sir" the Lieutenant half mumbled, still trying to process his thoughts. "The sats do not show any radiation or even any significant chem explosive detonations, not even a grenade."
"Admiral Johnson's AI has just confirmed your assessment," the Colonel reported as he read his Priority GAMMA high encryption data feed. "This definitely changes things ... but I don't think I fully know how yet. We should do something to spring that Captain. As a frontliner, he probably doesn't have much useful intel for them, but he is still one of ours, and I want him back. Where is the nearest BF unit?"
"Sir?" the Lieutenant looked up. The light dawned. In an instant he realized who he had been tracking all over Asia for the three days since he had arrived on the Maredrom.
The Colonel read the Lieutenant's expression and cursed through a big grin. "You just got it, didn't you? Well, seeing how you aren't leaving this boat till the rebellion is over or we get shot down, ... I'm here to direct the Blue Faction." He chuckled to himself. Blue Faction, yes, he would tell this kid anything he wanted to know about the Blue Faction. But the Colonel was not about to say anything about his other assignment. "Now you get to start doing what ONI is paying you for. Let's get the pieces moving, I want that Cap'n back before sundown tomorrow."
"Yes, sir." The Lieutenant paused. "You said the rebels could shoot us down?"
Edgar cursed himself from bringing it up. He was not at all happy about being stuck in a naval vessel above Asia with some pathetic camouflage. ONI shoulda' painted a big, fat target on us instead of this wannabe reflective cloaking layer. "Yes, they have Archer anti-capital missiles they have modified to perform well within atmo or low orbit. They did a test fire the other day to scare us, blew up a decommissioned frigate over the Pacific. Quite an explosion. They call them Anvils or something."
[ . . . to be continued]
__________
Turpertrator is the author of "Between the Hammer and Anvil."
Visit the archives of the Grand Rapids Frag Pile http://bungie.net/fanclub/grfp/GroupHome.aspx for more exploits and articles by founders Lexicus, Chuckles, Hogg, Turpertrator, and others.
For more backstory about the Bishkek rebellion, read C. T. Clown's intro in: http://halosn.bungie.org/fanfic/?story=chuckles.1030040755301.html
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