Chapter 39: Heavy Duty

*The first thing we lost that evening, it was the light. They are not stupid they knew exactly where to strike. I was in my office when the generator room exploded. I remember wondering what happenef. I knew they were going to take action, yet I ignored the signs. No I was on my guard and probably even more alert than usual. But being on your guard is not enough in the face of a numerically superior and determined enemy. Here I am in the middle of this chaos with my men around me, some are dead, others wounded and me... Me.....

-Lieutenant pull yourself together. Lieutenant... LIEUTENANT.

*It all started about three hours ago when we took full control of the factory. Most of the prisoners had been herded into a corner so that they could be taken care of. The discontent was rising among these soldiers who for the most part had to fight, but the purpose of the mission was precisely to bring them home, not to send them to be killed again. It's all stupid because we're in an arms factory and it's clearly not the ammunition that's missing*.

-It itches. *I say out loud.*

- Of what, Lieutenant? *Streiss asks me.*

- To give them guns.

I was sitting in one of the offices, with some nco*, and through the window I was watching Sergeant Keita who was taking care of the lightly wounded. She had recruited medic among the prisoner.

Ndt: Non-commissioner officer

-You said it yourself, Lieutenant, we don't need to bother with amateurs. *said Quincy*. They had their chance to fight now we are bringing them home.

-Its true, you are right. And then we're not supposed to last long here. Once we've made the connection with Lancell's convoy, we load everyone into the trucks and head home.

- That is quickly said. I don't think these guys are letting us go. *Said Habib who was watching outside througha curtain.*

- What, are you afraid of some amateurs with muskets now? *Streiss asked.*

-Amateurs are unpredictable. And that's what scares me.

*He's not wrong. After having peeled the files which I needed I leave to make a turn and to inspect the points of guards. It reeked of corpses along the road but I continued to move forward without caring. I had ordered my men to put them in a mass grave or bundle them up in a warehouse at the Factory. As I was walking near one of the bunkers I overheard a conversation.*

-Hey, do we do it or not?

-No, you have to follow the procedure.

- Don't give a damn, I'm going to do it to myself, this rebellious bastard.

-He has a white flag you stupid ass, we don't shoot a guy who surrenders.

-Kiss My ass, this guy is surely as dangerous as those who attacked us this morning.

-What the hell are you doing?

*I appeared suudenly behind them with a cup of coffee in hand, the two soldiers on duty jumped when they saw me and stood at attention.*

- Rest soldier. What is happening ?

- Actually lieutenant....

- This is the guy who appeared. He has a white flag I think he wants to surrender but we don't take prisoners, do we?

*I slowly approached the edge and looked up, it was an old man, black with graying and frizzy hair. He wore a cold weather jacket and a turtleneck sweater. In his right hand a stick was wrapped around a white cloth. I watched the surroundings pushed and I saw some wavelengths in the forest but only one seemed hostile. I give my cup of coffee to one of the soldiers.*

-Hold this, I'll see what's going on.

-Eh ? You don't think about it, lieutenant.

-He is surely dangerous, you have to shoot him.

-You just have to cover my back then.

*I don't listen to him and I climb down from the bunker and head outside the factory. I hear him grab the radio and say.*

- To all the units in the area, it's an emergency, the lieutenant is leaving the perimeter, I repeat the lieutenant is leaving the perimeter.

*I felt that they were all fussing behind me with their guns aimed at the old man in whom I felt no hostility. I ended up getting to his level but still managed about ten meters between us*.

- Are you the leader of this troop? *he asked me.*

-It depends, can I know who I'm dealing with?

-Sorry that's very rude of me, my name is Elias Rashford. And you... *He looks at my uniform and notices my stripes*, Lieutenant that's right ? I'd like to speak to your supervisor this is about an important matter.

*He speaks better than I expected.*

- You have him in front of you. *I simply answer.*

- So I'm going to cut to the chase. During your assault this morning your men attacked this factory which is there. So I have a request to make...

-If it's to tell us to surrender....

-No son I believe that there is mostale, I am the leader of this community you see, not a man of war. In this factory there were civilians, women and children who had not asked for anything and yet your men massacred them without pity.

-All I saw was guns pointed in my direction.

-It is true that the place was guarded but your answer was disproportionate.

- What do you know you are not military

*He lowered his head slightly as if embarrassed and stared at me.*

- I'm not anymore.

- What did you serve? *I asked now curious*. Where ? When ?

- Sergeant Major in the ducal marines. But that life is now behind me, all we want is to get our dead back. We don't want the conflict between you and these fictitious rebels.

*The fictitious word made me smirk*.

-If I let you collect your dead, that means I'll let your yours enter the factory. Who tells me they're not gonna sneak in and kill my men.

-You have my word.

-The words of an old man I just met. Seriously ?

*I watched his wavelength and I saw that he was serious, but there are risks that I refuse to take.*

-I'm sorry, old man. But the safety of my men comes first. You were a soldier, you should understand that. On the other hand, tell those who don't want to fight to move away to evacuate the region, it would save us from shooting them down by mistake.

*The old man looked disappointed and threw away his piece of wood.*

-I see. Then the next time we meet son you'll be covered in blood from head to toe.

"Then he turned around, it didn't look like a threat but for some reason he didn't seem to mess with it. We made everyone face up and I came back inside the perimeter.*

-Come on lieutenant, you only have one word to say and I'll shoot this tramp.

*I nodded and the shooter backed down. He was surely disappointed, but you don't shoot an unarmed man in the back, let alone an old man. The night promised to be long so it was out of the question that we lower our vigilance. That night's assault was all that would determine the success of this operation. Once they attacked us and we pushed them back they wouldn't have the strength to fight. We can then regroup to organize the evacuation of the prisoners we have recovered. Ideally we would have captured one of their leaders and negotiated the release of the other prisoners.*

-Damn I shouldn't have left that old thread.

- Are you talking to yourself now, lieutenant? *Keita asked mockingly* Looks like you're unnecessarily aging.

- Stop bothering the lieutenant. *Said Habib.*

-He is right you have no right to make fun of your superior Sabine. *I sighed*. But it's true that I think too much at the moment.

-I was saying that to lighten the mood, it's your job after all.

-As you said. But and you, How are you dealing with your doctor friends?

-At the beginning, they didn't want to work with me.

- Black woman obliges... *I sighed.*

-But I wowed them with my knowledge and they had to listen to me. It's thanks to your classes you know.

-I only repeated what I saw in a book... Somewhere.

*I'm not going to tell him that I transmitted the medical knowledge of 100 years ahead.*

-If I can ask you an indiscreet question, you have talent in a lot of things, so why did you decide to become a soldier?

-You talk too much Sergeant Keita. *I told her as I got up from my seat.* Go rest, hopefully they won't attack tonight.

A soldier suddenly entered the room.

-Lieutenant a call for you, it's Hammerhead.

"Like an idiot I had rushed to the phone fearing the worst but in fact he just wanted to hear me.*

- No, I swear everything is fine. One of my sergeants took a bullet but he will survive.

-Ah... You made me fear the worst.

-The prisoners are all austere here, it's like being in a tomb, but I guess it's the same with you. We got at least 2 thousand here but the count is not over.

-About 3000 here but it's all the same. Do you think you can move them to the factory?

-Honestly ? I don't think I can move them by vehicle without going back and forth several times. On foot it would take me a long time and we would be vulnerable to ambushes.

-I see. *I sighed*. It is therefore necessary to secure a road by which the Norman convoy will pass.

-The freedom convoy. *Laughed Lancell.*

*What he said reminded me of the real freedom in my home world and I almost giggled but held myself back.*

-Huh... Zell? Zell are you still there?

- Yes it's fine, I'm just...

*The first one that let us down was electricity. All the factory lights went out at the same time and I mean all of them. As I sensed an attack, I asked my soldiers to keep half the lights of the buildings on and those who want to rest in those with the lights off. It was a way of directing enemy fire at these houses while my men were safe. But it seems our enemy doesn't give a damn about the light.*

- Zell I heard a noise? Zell?

- Wake up your men Lancell the night is going to be long.

*I hung up called and ran outside the office. Once outside I could see a large ball of fire emanating from a building.*

-What happened ? *I asked a man*.

- I don't know sir. the generator explained exploded. We are in total darkness. They are going to slaughter us.

-Shut your stupid mouth and go back to your position.

-Yes sir.

I grabbed the radio from one of my control posts and ordered everyone to maintain their defensive position, out of the perimeter that they were affected by a simple power cut.

-If we don't see anything, they don't see anything either. Feel free to use flares.

- Yes Lieutenant.

The generator room was well guarded how such an explosion. I went running, I was in such a hurry that I had forgotten my rifle. On the spot I saw the fire which spread, I entered the building by the back and I saw half a dozen of my guys lengthened everywhere. It didn't take me long to understand.

- Commandos? Seb's men.

I was rummaging through the bodies of my guys but they had taken their guns.

- Damn these guys are a pros.

I started groping around looking for survivors. It was clear that they had killed everyone but I wanted to know if they still had more of them, especially since the building was on fire. I activate my gift and notice a few wavelengths including one in the upstairs office that seems panicked. I sneaked quietly through the factory but once upstairs the person had come down.

"Would it kill you to stay still?" I say to myself.

I took the mini-bridge leading to the other side but crossing it I saw just below the person I was looking for.

- Keita?!

What was she doing there? No time to procrastinate there was a guy just behind who was going to fall on her. I gathered momentum and pounced on him. I landed right on the guy but as if he expected it he grabbed my arm and threw me against a control panel.

-Who the fuck was that bastard ?

As he bent down to pick up his rifle he noticed Keita who had also seen him but just before he could do anything to her I came back to strangle him. He was struggling like hell and Keita pulled out her gun to shoot him but the fight had provided the attention of the 2 other guys who appeared. One of them disarms her with a kick. The other bumped me against the parishes of the walls and the ledges but I held on to him and eventually calmed him down.

-Leave him alone.* Said the man who point his gun on Sabine*. Drop it or the girl will blow her head off.

-Do what he says he's not one to mess around you know. *Said the guy I'm holding back.*

-Don't listen to them, lieutenant save yourself.

*I displayed a discreet smile and took the knife out of the guy's holster which I planted in his back 3 times. The cries of pain make Mad with rage the other who pointed his rifle in my direction.*

-You bastard...

*I used his friend as a shield as he hesitated and threw the knife in the direction of the second who stuck in his throat. Got angry he shot me in the head but I had moved by getting rid of my shield. 5 seconds before the next shot but considering how this guy is very trained I would do 2. That said Keita jostled him and he fell, I rushed at full speed recovering the knife in the throat of the other and I planted it in his hand before he can get his gun back.*

-Fuck you motherfucker you killed my brother.

-You shouldn't have threatened my doctor, you tramp.

*I crushed his throat under my boot and retrieved the knife. I also picked up the rifle and put a bullet in each of them in the head.*

-Just to be sure ? *I tell Keita". Come on, let's get out of here.

- How did you know he wouldn't kill me?

-I have a knack for reading people's minds. By stabbing his friend I knew he would target me.

-And if I had remained shocked?

-Come on Sabine. You are a wolf. *I tell her with a smirk.* Otherwise what the hell are you doing here?

-I distribute their ration to them and....

*As we were leaving the factory we were amazed to see in the sky above our rocket heads, or rather, hundreds of rockets surging from the western zone before landing on the buildings. It was a mess, it was agitated in all directions and there were already wounded and dead. I saw a soldier come up to me and shout at me.*

-where you were lieutenant the radio is jammed and the enemy made a breach in the security perimeter.

The second thing who dropped us is the radio. Without a radio, it's impossible to call for an artillery strike in our area and Swan won't guess like a grown-up that we need him. But what the hell is going on? No, I have to organize the defense or we're all dead.

-Lieutenant your arms? * says Keita*.

-The bullet grazed me, I'm fine.

-No wait.

*She gave me a quick Garo.*

-I'm going to the infirmary, they need me there, you're going to push these guys away.

-Yes Madam.

I finally get a rifle and join a defensive position. Despite the violence and the element of surprise, Beowulf was well trained, the corridors were lit with rockets and the positions were already consolidated. I joined a line of defense made with sleeping bags and a machine gun. From there we lit everything that came in our direction.

-Damn they keep coming. *A soldier shouts.*

-Then, I will keep killing them. *Bryce shouted.*

-Shut your mouths and just kill them. *Yelled Quincy annoyed.*

As we defended the position I saw in the sky another salvo of mortar.

-GET COVER. *I screamed.*

The shell falls just in front of the blanket but the blast knocks 5 soldiers down. The guy with the machine gun retrieved his weapon and fired a few rounds, but a bullet lodged in his throat and he collapsed. I looked at the dude who had managed to put him down and there was my great surprise.

-The... The old...?

-It's the old man from this morning. *Yells a soldier.*

There he was, standing with a musket in hand as his men continued to push into the perimeter. The wounded were brought back to the next defensive position but the enemy continued to advance. We couldn't properly coordinate the defense since the radio was ruined.

- We're all going to go through it shit.

More and more mortar shells were falling on us. We couldn't get the train out in the middle of the night because that was risking friendly fire. I had to find a solution.

- If only they could hear your instructions. *yell Streiss.*

-What do you want them to yell into the loudspeaker? *Quincy asked whike reloading his rifle*.

-But... But yes. *I said*. Rico I love you.

-Eh ?

-Streiss, hold them back, I won't be long.

I got up from my position and ran to the central building, I still heard the shots everywhere and I saw dead soldiers on the way, men of mine and also wounded. One of them had a bandage on his head and he was coming back to fight. They're brave and it's up to me to get them out of there.

-Test 1.2 Test 1.2 Can anyone hear me? Here Shepard Leader to all Shepard NCO's do you hear me?

I was in the middle of the central building, standing on the roof, with a fucking loudspeaker which was itself connected to the big loudspeaker in the centre.

- From now on we take back the advantage. *I tell them*. They'll know what it's like to go after Beowulf.

I heard a "HAIL ARES" among my men and gave an amused smile. From where I was I saw the wavelengths of everyone, allies as enemies, with this overview I could determine that the majority of the attackers came from the West.

-Here Shepard Leader to Shepard 2-1 will reinforce the position of Shepard 4-1 and 3-1 at the coordinates of the South. Shepard 6-4 and 6-3 make it rain in the valley pit. Shepard Assassin prime targets are available to your pit, shepard 6-4 don't miss them. 5-1 and your squad stay in position.

Our enemies couldn't understand, these instructions don't make any sense or logic, in fact even in the Beowulf codebook they are not there, but there is a board game that we often played with the sergeants when I was stationed in the Yukon, an equivalent of dungeon and dragon. To hear my directives without tail or head they will not take long to understand. Also the enemies who tried to retreat from the north were ignited by our mortars. Hartkins and Streiss squads quickly received support. Our snipers took out the enemy lurking towards the mortars and the group I told to stay put came into contact with an enemy patrol attempting to flank from the south.

-I see you all motherfuckers. You all glow in the dark.

With my gift and from my position it was a piece of cake. That said, despite my instructions and the fact that we more or less regained the advantage, the guys to the west didn't stop. To tell the truth, if I had to bring back all the reinforcements from all other areas to defend this position alone, it was the whole factory that I was putting in danger.

-What should i do ? I take the train? No it would be a bad idea he could shoot us. But if I don't do anything, that old man will continue to kill my men.

I saw him stab one with a bayonet and run a machete through the eye of another before returning to cover when the next flare was fired. He would fire a few shots but still stay in cover then take advantage of the next shadow to charge in and wreak havoc.

- But damn he's not human. *I shout*.

But while I was wasting my time dithering I saw that the famous armored train had come out of its lair.

- Hey... What? Who gave the order?

- My pleasure to help lieutenant.

-Habib?

The train took the enemy forces in the western area upside down.

- Slay those motherfuckers. *cried Habib."

-DOWN. *I shouted into the megaphone.*

All the teams from all positions fell to the ground as the machine gun of the train opened indiscriminate fire in the area, some of the bullets hit our soldiers but in front it cut in two the enemy force which fell back into the neighboring buildings but this was no longer enough to stop the guns of the train. Suddenly I saw again mortars falling on our position but those exploding released smoke which spread in an instant.

- Everyone on their guard. *Bryce said.*

-I know. *Quincy growled, pulling out his knife.*

But when the smoke cleared, the enemies had fallen back. I saw them gather in the bunker this morning, the one in the West zone before heading towards the forest, there I deactivated my gift because my eyes were exhausted as ever. I put on my glasses and went down to join the train. Quincy and Streiss were following me along with some guys from Streiss' squad. I saw Habib get off the train looking quite proud.

-You saw that, Lieutenant, they were given a hell of a beating. Say it.

-It was stupid and inconsiderate you could have killed us all.

It even killed some.

- The main thing is that the enemy has gone. Without the train they would have crush us.

-He's not wrong. *Said Streiss.* We take it in all directions this train has just saved our lives.

-Hey guys.

-Not now Quincy. Habib, we'll discuss your behavior later, we have to bring the train back to its shed.

-In your place I would keep this iron scarecrow in its place, it can be used.

-Lieutenant... *Insist Quincy.*

-It's a giant target for enemy artillery better get it into the factory.

-Lieutenant....

-I said not now Rico.

-Sorry Lieutenant I've been hearing a clicking sound for a while now.

-A what?

*By the time I understood it was too late. The train suddenly exploded and the blast swept us all away. Those motherfuckers, the purpose of the attack was to force us out of this train, the attack on the Generator to the south was a diversion, they booby-trapped the rails with charges they were just waiting for the train. But damn I knew that train should have stayed where it was. But the most important thing was not that. I was on the ground, with terrible pain in my body, my ears were ringing and my eyesight blurred, I was crawling through the debris, looking around me.*

-Streiss... Rico? Rico answer me if you're alive. Habib? You... if I catch you I'll kill you.

I hear the sounds of boots and I turn around.

-Habib I...

- Habib is dead. *Said the old man*.

- You... What are you doing here? *I asked more than surprised.*

- Your men are good, they jumped in time, most of those outside survived but they are unconscious, but those who were in this compartment of the train are dead. As for the one you call Habib, he made a shield with his body to protect you. Such devotion is worthy of a Dukam.

I looked at the old man and felt like paralyzing. He still looked the same as usual but who knows why she scared me for my life. I had the impression of standing in front of a wild animal which could devour me at any moment. He walked in my direction and stopped above me while I was paralyzed.

-I told you son, the next time we see each other, you'll be covered in blood, from head to toe. And now I will recover the bodies of my fellows.

He kicks me in the face and before I pass out I hear screams.

-Surprise, motherfucker. *Quincy shouted*.

No Rico, you're no match for this guy. I blinked once and saw him throw a knife, I blinked and he pulled out a gun and fired 2 shots at the old man. I don't know if he hit the bull's eye but right after that I saw a machete fly in his direction at the level of his head and I lost consciousness for good.

To be continued