~~~Bisk, Outskirts of the Capital~~~
Colonel Arkin had to yell above the noise of incoming drop ships. The gathering of Lieutenants and Majors nodded as he directed the various assault points they would be going for. His regiment was not made up of veterans. He had been dealt out soldiers fresh from the academy. The veterans he did have were made up of all the officers.
“ WE ARE GOING TO FOR THAT GIANT DOME IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY. WATCH OUT FOR SNIPERS AND GUERILLA FIGHTERS. ALRIGHT LETS MOVE OUT!”
The men began to rush forward as the tanks from the dropships formed a vanguard. As they entered the deserted streets of the capital things became quiet, too quiet. Rick Arkin whispered into his com.
“ I want all Scout troopers to spread out and cover the rooftops. All snipers keep your eyes open.”
The whisper passed along the regiment as the order was carried out. They passed through the city, the tanks humming all around them. It was way too quiet. The eerie silence seemed so unnatural in a city. There were only two explanations for this. Either all the soldiers of Bisk had been to scared to come out and fight, or this was a trap. Arkin turned to the young private carrying the com system.
“ Private Vanders, I want you to-” Rick stopped short as the man stood stock still. Vanders’ gloved hands were holding his stomach, out of which came blood and an oozing gore. Rick could smell the stench of burnt flesh. Vanders slowly turned and stared at Rick then he collapsed to the floor in a heap, a dead heap. The Corporal was shocked for a moment then it was all action.
Blaster fire began to come from buildings and windows. Troopers who were standing, ready to conquer the galaxy, began to fall down in droves. The cry of “ AMBUSH!” rang through out the Regiment. The Corporal fired a few rounds at a sniper whom he saw standing at a window. Then he grabbed the com from Vanders’ dead body.
“ ALL UNITS TAKE COVER! WE ARE BEING AMBUSHED. FALL BACK TO SECTION C-13!”
A loud bang sounded from a nearby hotel. A think contrail of white smoke smeared across the sky. Rick dived for cover as the Tank behind him lit up in a brilliant explosion.
“ RPG!”
“ This is Alpha Squad we are under heavy fire. We have two, no THREE incoming enemy platoons, repeat THREE incoming platoons.”
Rick ran as fast as the men beside him as they rushed for the C-13 zone. There was a whizzing sound and then a pop as the man beside him grabbed his leg and fell down in agony. Arkin grabbed the man and slung him over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. Another soldier stopped short, clutching at the blood spewing from a hole in his chest. The panic of battle was getting to the new recruits. Rick urged the men on.
They arrived at C-13, diving for cover behind abandoned airspeeders and equipment. A heavy weapons stormtrooper brought out a DLT-19 and set up its bipod next to Rick. The air grew silent again. They only had one tank remaining for their regiment, all the rest were smoking trash heaps.
The rough semi-circle that the Regiment had formed was now quaking in fear and nervousness. The air had grown still again save for the groaning voices of the wounded and dying.
“ What is going on?”
“ Is it a trick?”
“ Quiet!” Ordered Rick. The line fell silent. He had heard something...a distant rumbling. Suddenly, his stomach leapt into his mouth. A double mounting of missile silos appeared through the smoke. A line of AAC-1 Hover tanks appeared on the horizon.
“ GET SHOCK TROOPERS OVER HERE, NOW!”
A dozen shock troopers came running over. Each carried a minimag PTL missile launcher.
“ Take those tanks out.”
As the shock troopers began to lock on to their targets a sudden flash appeared from the tanks. The flash of missiles being fired from the tubes.
“ INCOMING!”
Rick hit the floor. He crawled behind a small building as the rain of missiles came. Tearing huge craters in the permacrete and blasting men to pieces. Then it was their turn. A hiss and then the explosive missiles were fired from their launchers. Arkin watched as the cockpit of an AAC-1 burst into pieces, killing all inside. Rick didn’t have time to savor this victory. A wild yell rose up from the smoke and suddenly a thousand soldiers came screaming death at them from the barrels of their A280s. Rick dived yet again. This time into the crater left by a missile.
He brought his blaster rifle to bear and began to fire. He chose one target, then another. A young man came rushing at him, wearing only a chest plate for protection. Rick squeezed the trigger. The kid’s head exploded into pieces of bone and blood. The next was a huge man with a big black beard and wild eyes. As the man pulled up his rifle to shoot Rick in half, Arkin fired first. His opponent’s chest became soaked with blood as it sprayed out through gaping holes. The incessant fire continued until Rick had to reload. Then it began all over again.
After an hour of this it suddenly stopped. The air grew quiet again. Rick could still see the enemy in the distance, but no longer were they rushing his regiment. Without a seconds hesitation the Corporal gave the order.
“ FRONTAL ASSAULT, ALL SQUADS, NOW!”
His whole regiment picked themselves up and began to rush the enemy. Their gore spattered white armor and the terrifying image of the Stormtrooper did its work. As they rushed the tired enemy, the hostiles began to flee. The Regiment cut their way through the thick line, slaying all in their way. The dead piled in mountains in their wake and the ground ran red. Rick fired and fired until he felt his arms could not support the weight of his gun anymore. Then, they were through.
Rick stopped and stared around. Pieces of flesh and blood clung to his armor like leeches. The dust and grime made his Regiment seem like it had come from the Abyss. But they had done it. The capital was just there, he could see the dome. Could already seem himself marching into it at the head of his regiments. But then another line of tanks appeared. Bigger than the first. All hope drained from his weary body. This was it. This was his death. He stared it in the eyes. Straight down the barrel that threatened to blow him into a gory puddle on the ground.
Colonel Arkin had to yell above the noise of incoming drop ships. The gathering of Lieutenants and Majors nodded as he directed the various assault points they would be going for. His regiment was not made up of veterans. He had been dealt out soldiers fresh from the academy. The veterans he did have were made up of all the officers.
“ WE ARE GOING TO FOR THAT GIANT DOME IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY. WATCH OUT FOR SNIPERS AND GUERILLA FIGHTERS. ALRIGHT LETS MOVE OUT!”
The men began to rush forward as the tanks from the dropships formed a vanguard. As they entered the deserted streets of the capital things became quiet, too quiet. Rick Arkin whispered into his com.
“ I want all Scout troopers to spread out and cover the rooftops. All snipers keep your eyes open.”
The whisper passed along the regiment as the order was carried out. They passed through the city, the tanks humming all around them. It was way too quiet. The eerie silence seemed so unnatural in a city. There were only two explanations for this. Either all the soldiers of Bisk had been to scared to come out and fight, or this was a trap. Arkin turned to the young private carrying the com system.
“ Private Vanders, I want you to-” Rick stopped short as the man stood stock still. Vanders’ gloved hands were holding his stomach, out of which came blood and an oozing gore. Rick could smell the stench of burnt flesh. Vanders slowly turned and stared at Rick then he collapsed to the floor in a heap, a dead heap. The Corporal was shocked for a moment then it was all action.
Blaster fire began to come from buildings and windows. Troopers who were standing, ready to conquer the galaxy, began to fall down in droves. The cry of “ AMBUSH!” rang through out the Regiment. The Corporal fired a few rounds at a sniper whom he saw standing at a window. Then he grabbed the com from Vanders’ dead body.
“ ALL UNITS TAKE COVER! WE ARE BEING AMBUSHED. FALL BACK TO SECTION C-13!”
A loud bang sounded from a nearby hotel. A think contrail of white smoke smeared across the sky. Rick dived for cover as the Tank behind him lit up in a brilliant explosion.
“ RPG!”
“ This is Alpha Squad we are under heavy fire. We have two, no THREE incoming enemy platoons, repeat THREE incoming platoons.”
Rick ran as fast as the men beside him as they rushed for the C-13 zone. There was a whizzing sound and then a pop as the man beside him grabbed his leg and fell down in agony. Arkin grabbed the man and slung him over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. Another soldier stopped short, clutching at the blood spewing from a hole in his chest. The panic of battle was getting to the new recruits. Rick urged the men on.
They arrived at C-13, diving for cover behind abandoned airspeeders and equipment. A heavy weapons stormtrooper brought out a DLT-19 and set up its bipod next to Rick. The air grew silent again. They only had one tank remaining for their regiment, all the rest were smoking trash heaps.
The rough semi-circle that the Regiment had formed was now quaking in fear and nervousness. The air had grown still again save for the groaning voices of the wounded and dying.
“ What is going on?”
“ Is it a trick?”
“ Quiet!” Ordered Rick. The line fell silent. He had heard something...a distant rumbling. Suddenly, his stomach leapt into his mouth. A double mounting of missile silos appeared through the smoke. A line of AAC-1 Hover tanks appeared on the horizon.
“ GET SHOCK TROOPERS OVER HERE, NOW!”
A dozen shock troopers came running over. Each carried a minimag PTL missile launcher.
“ Take those tanks out.”
As the shock troopers began to lock on to their targets a sudden flash appeared from the tanks. The flash of missiles being fired from the tubes.
“ INCOMING!”
Rick hit the floor. He crawled behind a small building as the rain of missiles came. Tearing huge craters in the permacrete and blasting men to pieces. Then it was their turn. A hiss and then the explosive missiles were fired from their launchers. Arkin watched as the cockpit of an AAC-1 burst into pieces, killing all inside. Rick didn’t have time to savor this victory. A wild yell rose up from the smoke and suddenly a thousand soldiers came screaming death at them from the barrels of their A280s. Rick dived yet again. This time into the crater left by a missile.
He brought his blaster rifle to bear and began to fire. He chose one target, then another. A young man came rushing at him, wearing only a chest plate for protection. Rick squeezed the trigger. The kid’s head exploded into pieces of bone and blood. The next was a huge man with a big black beard and wild eyes. As the man pulled up his rifle to shoot Rick in half, Arkin fired first. His opponent’s chest became soaked with blood as it sprayed out through gaping holes. The incessant fire continued until Rick had to reload. Then it began all over again.
After an hour of this it suddenly stopped. The air grew quiet again. Rick could still see the enemy in the distance, but no longer were they rushing his regiment. Without a seconds hesitation the Corporal gave the order.
“ FRONTAL ASSAULT, ALL SQUADS, NOW!”
His whole regiment picked themselves up and began to rush the enemy. Their gore spattered white armor and the terrifying image of the Stormtrooper did its work. As they rushed the tired enemy, the hostiles began to flee. The Regiment cut their way through the thick line, slaying all in their way. The dead piled in mountains in their wake and the ground ran red. Rick fired and fired until he felt his arms could not support the weight of his gun anymore. Then, they were through.
Rick stopped and stared around. Pieces of flesh and blood clung to his armor like leeches. The dust and grime made his Regiment seem like it had come from the Abyss. But they had done it. The capital was just there, he could see the dome. Could already seem himself marching into it at the head of his regiments. But then another line of tanks appeared. Bigger than the first. All hope drained from his weary body. This was it. This was his death. He stared it in the eyes. Straight down the barrel that threatened to blow him into a gory puddle on the ground.