Battle Earth IV (18 page)

“Company Sergeant Major to Lieutenant? Got to be a kick in the balls?” asked Jones.

“It’s certainly been a challenge, Sir,” he replied.

Jones chuckled. “Amongst us at this table, you don’t need to call anyone Sir.”

“Are you happy in your new role, Lieutenant?” asked Chandra.

“Honestly, Ma’am?”

“Speak freely here.”

“I would never have chosen it, but I will continue to do what is required of me. I didn’t sign up to the Army thinking I could have my own way.”

Chandra laughed.

“Well, Lieutenant, you’ll fit in here just fine.”

It was a new day and a seemingly new dawn for Inter-Allied. Chandra and Taylor stood before eight hundred of the finest soldiers Earth had to offer, and they were theirs to do with as they saw fit.

“Hell of a sight, ain’t it?” asked Taylor.

“Damn right,” Chandra whispered in reply.

She watched as the NCOs make their inspections.

“You know I heard Reiter wasn’t in Ramstein. He’s still alive,” Taylor went on.

“Bloody hell, the crazy bastard’s still with us. Good, we’ll need him.”

They were formed up on the hard standing of the old school. It had been abandoned for so many months that it was beginning to look derelict. The troops fell quiet as the NCOs took up their positions and awaited the Colonel.

“Good morning to you all!” she called. “You all have come from proud units, just as we had. Inter-Allied started as a simple way to combine two key units during the battle for France. As time went on, more were added, to the extent that you could no longer begin to explain our identity. I do not ask you to forget where you came from but to embrace where you are now. We stand together as one!”

A cheer rang out as the NCOs led the call.

“No soldier likes re-organisation. We get used to what we have. I will do my very best to change as little as humanly possible. From now on, the Battalion will be structured as four Companies. Major Taylor will remain second in command for Inter-Allied. Alpha Company will be commanded by Captain Jones and will encompass the remaining members of my old Company, with a number drawn from 2 Para to bring them up to strength.”

She paced along the line and looked to the officers to see Jones nod in gratitude.

“Bravo Company, the remainder of 2 para, will be under the command of Lieutenant Grey. Charlie and Delta are to be led by Captain Jackson and Lieutenant Ota respectively. The US rangers among you are to report to the Charlie and Delta to make up their number.”

She took in a deep breath and looked across at the troops’ faces. They seemed content with the news.

“Lastly, I am appointing Sergeant Silva to Company Sergeant Major. He has been a force of reason and discipline throughout this war, and I cannot think of a better soldier to keep things in order. Congratulations Sergeant!”

Whistles broke the silence, and the troops that had been with them since the beginning clapped to the Sergeant’s success. She smiled at their appreciation. Silva was humbled and could not bring himself to discipline them for such open support. Chandra lifted up her hand to request silence, and it was quickly given.

“Company commanders have been sent full lists of those personnel who will serve under them. Please report to them upon dismissal. We’re lacking the NCOs and officers we need at platoon level, and I will leave that to Company commanders to resolve as they see fit. You will see along the back wall there four letters. Those are the designated assembly areas for each Company.”

She could see a number of the troops start to shiver in the cool morning breeze.

“It is vital that this Battalion learns to work as one in the shortest time possible. Change is never easy, and I know that you will all have become closely tied with those you have served beside. That same bond must now be extended to all standing here today. Thank you. Fall out and assemble with your Company leaders.

She nodded to Silva to relay her commands. Within seconds, the troops were scattering to assemble as requested. Most of the officers rushed to take command of their troops, but Taylor watched in amazement.

“Strange isn’t it?” asked Chandra.

“What’s that?”

“To be stood back here watching while everything is done for you.”

“For now, but we won’t be taking desk jobs anytime soon.”

“True. Although at Battalion HQ we will need some additional staff. Having Silva at hand will be most useful to us, but we are still lacking a medical officer, quartermaster and several other administrative staff. A chaplain may also be useful.”

“Really? For what?”

“The pressure these troops are under on a daily basis, don’t you think they could do with some outlet?”

Taylor shook his head.

“Not much of a believer myself.”

“You don’t have to believe in anything to simply just have someone to talk to. I don’t want any cracks appearing in this Battalion, so whatever is necessary to keep it strong will be done.”

They watched as the four Company commanders quickly formed up their troops, and it was clear the Battalion was quickly taking shape. Chandra marvelled at the troops who now all wore matching uniforms for the first time since amalgamation.

“We are finally getting the army we always needed,” she stated.

“We need to put these troops through combat simulations. We need to know they are going to be able to work together as sharply as the Company always has done.”

“Agreed. Sergeant Major!” she yelled.

Silva rushed to her position.

“Sergeant, I am placing you in charge of assembling a series of combat tests. You have free rein to use the former industrial park a kilometre south of here for any and all exercises, including live fire. Put them through their paces.”

“Yes Ma’am!”

He rushed off with a new level of enthusiasm.

“Schulz may have give us all this, but he’s going to expect a lot in return,” she whispered.

“Agreed, but wouldn’t it be expected, anyway?”

She nodded in agreement. It seemed hard to imagine that they could have ever played a larger part in the war.

“Shouldn’t we get in on this training?” asked Taylor.

“Not yet, this is our Battalion now. Let the troops get used to the chain of command. Right now we have other work ahead of us. We may have wings, but we’ll need more substantial transport for where we’re going.”

“Surely not our problem to sort out?”

“Maybe so, but I’d rather have the pick of it before we get dumped on some civilian liner and sent up into enemy territory. Phillips promised me he’d sort it, and I want to make sure he has kept his word. Follow me.”

Half an hour later they stood at their former landing zone in Reims. Rains and Kato were desperately trying to salvage parts from the wreckage they had recovered to use as a donor for the last copter. Rains noticed them approaching and spoke out as he continued to use a power wrench.

“Shame you couldn’t get us some of those shiny new rides.”

Chandra smiled as they heard a large ship approaching their positions.

They looked up to the sky to see an Achilles class vessel roar into view and come in to land. It was large enough to almost completely fill the landing zone from where they had been operational.

“You might be careful what you wish for,” replied Chandra.

The vessel descended to the ground, and Taylor could make out the name, Deveron.

“Reyes’ ship, what’s it doing here?” he asked.

A ramp lowered from the vessel, and an officer stepped out to greet them. Taylor had seen him before but had never shared words.

“Lieutenant Ryan at your service.”

“Welcome to Reims, Lieutenant,” replied Chandra.

“I am sorry to hear of the loss of your Captain, he was a good man,” Taylor added.

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Major, the Deveron has been assigned to our Battalion as long range transport for the foreseeable future, along with three other Achilles class frigates.”

Taylor stepped around the Lieutenant and peered down the hull of the ship. He recognised the name, but much of the rest was new to him.

“Some refit, hey, Lieutenant?”

“Yes, Sir, we’ve been given new engines, new weapons, things I’ve never seen in my life.”

Eddie strolled up to their positions.

“Looks like someone has taken my improvements to a larger scale.”

“Are you Lieutenant Rains?”

“One and only,” he replied.

“We are carrying two new Eagle HVs which are to be delivered to you.”

Eddie turned in shock as he raised an eyebrow in astonishment.

“Taylor, who’s ass have you kissed to get us such treatment?”

Before they could marvel at the technology any further, a jeep drew up beside them. The driver leapt out within a second of it drawing to a halt.

“Colonel Chandra?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Orders from Commander Phillips, you and Major Taylor are to assemble at briefing shelter A at 1100 hours.”

“Why did this not get relayed via comms?” she asked.

“The Commander asked me to relay the order personally, and for your ears only, Ma’am.”

“Alright, thank you, you can be on your way.”

As the jeep pulled away, she looked down at her watch to see there was little time before they were to be summoned.

“We were supposed to have another day,” said Taylor.

“When does anything work to the schedule we need?” she responded. “Come on, I’m eager to see what is in store for us.”

* * *

Chandra and Taylor stepped into the briefing shelter with just seconds to spare. Several dozen other officers awaited the Commander to start. They barely recognised anyone in the room. It was a stark reminder of how much they had lost in the war. A door towards the front of the room opened, and General Schulz stepped through with several of his staff. Nobody was even aware that he had arrived in the city, but they all understood it meant there was a matter of great importance.

“Welcome all of you. A new operation is about to begin which will see you all tested to your sheer limits. We drove the enemy from this planet, and yet we have not driven them from human territory. As long as the enemy remain on the Moon, humanity is in danger. Tomorrow we launch the greatest military operation outside of Earth boundaries that has ever taken place in human history.”

Several gasps rang out. Taylor could see that there was a mix of officers from around the world, including several Americans.

“Schulz has been gathering forces here, and we didn’t even know it,” he whispered.

“It’s as good a place as any,” replied Chandra.

“I’d like to introduce you all to Commander Kelly, the former military leader of the Moon colony forces.”

Schulz ushered the Commander up to take a seat beside him.

“The Commander’s efforts in defending his colony and keeping his people safe are to be commended. It is only natural that he would want a stake in this new enterprise to free the lands he calls home.”

The officers around the room clapped Kelly as he took to the stage beside the General. Schulz called quiet and tapped a few buttons before him which displayed their solar system behind him.

“If we are to fight a war outside of Earth’s boundaries, we need a foothold in space, one which we no longer have. The L2 station is by far our best option. We know the enemy occupy the station but are unsure of their exact strength. Tomorrow you will depart for L2 and take it with a rapid strike before they can bolster their forces. It is vital that we gain this position in order to continue to the Lunar colony.”

“I am hearing a lot of unknowns here,” whispered Taylor.

“What do you expect? We lost everything outside of this atmosphere,” replied Chandra.