Zaitsev's Ghosts: Operation Chronos Week 2 Part 3

The Mongoose

                It was already night time by the time the Ghosts of Zaitsev exited the abandoned mines to escape the Allied forces of Zero. The steel guards’ spotlights illuminating the dark tunnels showed them the path leading to a commercial area to the north of the city; the scouts observed a German battle group stationed in the area; it wasn’t their target the few of them that could read German saw the markings on enemy infantry and supply crates that were scattered about in their encampment; “The Mongoose” it said. Nikolai remembered reading reports from allied SSU units that this particular squad held most of the city; even with in-fighting within the German Army, “The Mongoose” managed to defend against all opposition to maintain its grasp on the city.

                The young sergeant had to make a big choice; should they continue their original mission to sow chaos and confusion within enemy lines that they may learn their strategies and weaknesses or to follow their captain’s personal vendetta against the Germans that killed her beloved. Many things ran through his mind at the same time; if they want to win the war they should attack with no discrimination but doing so would cost them both men and munitions, it’s been about a week since their last resupply and losing the south east commercial area was bad for both morale and supplies. Attacking here now would give them those precious supplies; they didn’t need to take the whole area only what lay inside it. With his thoughts in order he ordered his men to prepare an assault.

                The steel guard burst from their hiding places, their headlights like eyes of beasts lit the night hoping to catch the enemy unaware they fired on enemy positions; mostly line infantry, German ghost squads and strumpioneers took refuge behind the protective walls of ruined buildings while heavier armored Faceless deaths used an old dead tree as cover while they took shots against the heavier armored steel guard. The new steel fist squad made to replace Kova’s squad quickly raided an enemy cache while providing medical attention to their wounded compatriots. As the battle progressed Nikolai saw first-hand the rumored new Axis shock troops, squads of apes rushed in to assault the steel guard. Nikolai stood dumbfounded as he saw these beasts; not knowing if they were sentient or were being controlled somehow, only he was thankful that they ignored his own men. The steel guardsmen pelted the apes with a hail of bullets taking most of them down; even unarmored these beasts seemed to ignore the wounds they gained from the hot steel striking their bodies. The few apes that broke through the wall of ammunition managed to cause casualties in the steel guard’s line their improved strength ripped through the Russian power armor’s plates and tore mechanical limbs apart.

                Luckily these apes were few and far between; granting Nikolai’s allies the advantage of range killing the rabid animals before they could do more damage. This was only a short respite as the German regular infantry managed to recover from the earlier assault and began to fire on the SSU forces. Information must have been passed to the rest of the Axis forces in Leboux as the soldiers of The Mongoose sacrificed their greater numbers to focus their fire on single squads of Steel Guard’s. They learned that though their weapons may be far more advanced they do next to nothing against the Russian miniature walkers; concentrated fire was more likely to damage joints and other weaker parts in the Steel Guard’s knocking them out of battle than killing them. Nikolai grudgingly admitted the commander of this squad as losing men without actually killing them did more damage to turn the tide of battle than killing them outright.

                The battle was close to being over; the Germans had lost several of their ape squads and some of their regular infantry; Nikolai thought he they had the chance to actually win the battle, instead of trying to hold out and take their supply cache he ordered his men to advance and attempt to take the enemy warehouse on the far side of the encampment. This order turned out to be a hasty choice, the steel guardsmen that arrived there first was caught in a deadly vice. An axis light walker;  Heinrich, they believed it was called stood above them towering like a metal dinosaur with its heavy laser cannon pointed right at them, the warehouse gate opened with a loud grating sound as moaning and growling marked the approach of the rumored zombies slowly marched toward them. Nikolai’s face went white with guilt as the weight of his decision struck him like a hammer. He grabbed his radio and shouted his men at the front lines to fall back and take what they can. He ordered the rest to act as a rear guard for their retreat the steel death snipers were to provide covering fire from afar while the rest of the tornado’s aid in the retreat and the men carrying heavier caliber auto-guns were to attempt to destroy the Heinrich. A few moments later as the last of the soldiers from the front lines started exiting the battlefield a loud metallic cry light filled the ruined city as the Heinrich began to tilt, Nikolai could see the walker’s leg buckle and warp under its own weight, to him it seemed like a dying animal.

                The remaining Germans momentarily stopped attacking as they dodged the falling metal wreck, enabling the remaining Russian soldiers to exit the battlefield. Sweat painted the young sergeants face from beneath his mask as he pondered his actions. They did manage to grab few of the enemies supplies but it seemed to him that they lost more than they gained, his hasty order to advance could have ended worse than it did. His breathing was labored but it wasn’t from a wound or fatigue it was more of an anxiety attack as he began to feel the burden of his stature as sergeant, he knew there were far more better candidates than he to lead the men. He kept thinking most of the steel guards were veterans of several engagements would have been a better choice than he after all he was only a fresh draft from the countryside not even a year of experience in war. His mind was in chaos, his men were completely silent, only the sound of marching feet echoed in these empty tunnels the surrounding veil of darkness was broken only by the steel guards’ mounted lamps.  The man then noticed the men up front stopping abruptly their mounted spotlights showing only glimpses of what lay ahead, suddenly the dark tunnel shone as an electric buzz rang throughout the cavern.

                Nikolai’s hand futilely attempted to block the light as he walked to the front; the ground crunched as his boots stepped on gravel. As his eyes adjusted to the blinding light he began to see what stood before them; a massive KV-47 walker painted in desert cliff yellow, behind it the remaining Ghosts of Zaitsev stood proudly. The sergeant gave a quick salute and stood in attention immediately knowing who piloted the mechanical giant. An electrical screech suddenly burst as the pilot of the walker spoke; “Rest and refit Sergeant, then continue your original mission.” The tone was cold and nearly soulless; it was as if the woman Nikolai knew no longer existed. The boy turned to his men and signaled to continue marching back to camp. “I will hunt down Kalte Biss myself”;  whispered a woman’s voice causing Nikolai’s to look around, he hadn’t heard the radio’s static burst and none of the men seemed to have heard it too, “I’m going crazy” he thought as he laughed bitterly.