[Doc] Doc looks at Wiz and the Maj Fischer as he helps the wounded man on to a bed. "Does anyone have any idea what's going on. I think a group came in tonight to discuss some form of diplomacy with the Colonel, but sprung a sneak attack instead. I can't figure what they were trying to attack. The obvious targets would be industrial, informational, or military, but there didn't seem to be any sort of coordinated effort at any target. I sent a search party to find the Colonel since he might know what we're up against, but otherwise this attack makes no sense."
[Fischer] "It could be a spoiling or pinning attack to hold us in place. Then again it could just be sheer stupidity. With any luck we'll get some prisoners and find out. Any word from the HQ tent?"
[Doc] That occured to me too. If it's a spoiling attack, they normally do that in order to encourage some form of reaction, and generally it's immediately obvious what the reaction they want is. They of course could be attempting to attack something of symbolic value, but I haven't seen any indication that they are concentrating on any one area. As for a pinning action, normally that's either a prelude to a massive attack, or it's to keep an opponent in one place so that you can do something else in another, but I don't remember that there are any non hostile places that we would feel obligated to defend at the moment. As I said, this attack doesn't make that much sense.
There was no one at the HQ tent. Either the Colonel's been captured or killed or he's out there in the field somewhere. That's why I sent a search party to find him. Currently, I think you and I are the ranking officers right now until we find out what happened to the Colonel.
Wiz stands at ease and smile. "Thank you sir," he says before turning to the rest of the men in the building. "I am going to lead an party. We are going to take these weapons and make our way to the munitions area. I believe there are a few weapons there and I know we have bullets there. Not to mention my grenades. Not exactly how I was planning on testing them, but now is as good of a time as any. Once we grab those supplies we are going to mount up in one of the vehicles and make a little assault on these bastards. Anyone with me?" he asks, not ordering. Wiz begins to think a moment about what he is doing. He isn't a combat soldier, he is a thinker...but hard times call for rash measures. When someone attacks him, he isn't going to wait around and die...that much he is sure of. Confident of his intents again, Wiz shoulders the M16 and waits for any men to rally with him.
Von Fischer's mouth opens, then closes; opens, then closes again. For a moment his eyes have the exact same look that anyone driving at night has seen captured in the look of an animal caught in the headlights - a certain amount of dawning comprehension that something is seriously wrong, but mostly a very simple expression that conveys the feeling "Oh shit!" eloquently.
"Oh shit," he says after a couple of seconds.
Its clearly an effort, but he quashes the "deer in the headlights" look and pulls himself together. Turning to Wizzo he says "Lieutenant, take charge of RISC. Get the troops together - use the RISC compound for a rally point. Try not to get killed - I'll never get that uplink going if you do. Major Novak, I'll be over at the HQ tent - I'd like a rundown on our casualties once you've gotten everything sorted out here. If you can spare someone I'd like a corpsman or medic on standby in case we need to mount an expedition outside the perimeter."
Without waiting for an answer the Major snags the M1 Garrand and runs out the door.
MAJ. von Fischer is going to the HQ tent. He is going directly to the HQ tent. He is not passing GO, he is not collecting $200.00 worth of military scrip. Once there he expects to find people milling about, and will send off runners to various units to start collecting SITREPS, and generally organizing things.
[GM] It should've been long enough by now that the man Doc sent to the HQ tent could've gone there, looked around, and returned. He hasn't. Doc relays this to MAJ and Wiz.
The guy Doc's been working on is gonna pull thru, just barely.
MAJ heads for the HQ tent.
Wiz heads for the munitions area.
Looks like both of you are on your own. Saunders and Dirty John will be helping Doc.
[GM] The Major dodges the people going to and fro in the general commotion. By the time he nears the Armory, he is suddenly aware that the shooting appears to have stopped. The camp lights come back on. Odd...
He continues the last 30 meters or so to the HQ tent. He finds it a shambles -- overturned tables, papers strewn everywhere, the COL's cot a wreck. Smashed bottles, a tray of food and drink flung across the room, little personal items that were so neatly arranged during the poker game are now scattered across the floor.
And no COL...
A quick and closer search turns up the body of Melville, the trooper Doc had sent to check on the COL. Single gunshot to back of head. Close range -- powder burns on his scalp...
A few shell casings on the floor -- 1 9mm, still warm, and several .32 ACP. Fischer remembers the COL carried a Skorpion in a shoulder holster. They eat .32 ACP...
Several vehicles are revving their engines outside, perhaps 50 meters away...
Oh Shit! is just the beginning.
[GM] Wiz seized up the M16 and headed out for the munitions area. It was away from the camp, but he was consumed with exacting justice on the attackers. He trod off first for the Armory, to check for weapons there, and ran into three familiar faces -- Brooke, SGT Sherman, and Sean. All 3 were armed, Brooke and Sean with hunting rifles, and Sherman with a shotgun. It would look like the 3 of them had just silenced that MG that had been chewing up the south end of camp.
Now that you mention it, it was kindof quiet all of a sudden. Was the attack over? The camp lights even came back on. Odd...
Wiz, I mean LT1 Jackson, mentioned he was off for the munitions area, to get some grenades. Was everyone OK?
[Sean] "Other then missing my beauty sleep...just fine!"
"So is the enemy completely neutralized?" Wiz askes, hoping.
[Sherman] "We're not sure LT..... where's the Major?"
[Wiz] "Last I saw," Wiz tells them, "He was heading toward HQ. I am going to grab one of the vehicles near my workshop and some more ammo then take a look around the area. Where are you all heading?"
[Sherman] Still crouching low and scanning the perimeter as if expecting something. "The Major ordered us to take out that machine gun. Cunningham and Whittaker managed to do it. I think this part of the perimeter is safe. But I suggest we form a clearing party to sweep the area. And then report in to HQ. So what are your orders.... sir?"
[Wiz] "The Maj reported to HQ to attempt to find the Col. I do not know how that was going, and if we were hit, the HQ is a good place for an attack. Sherman, you and Whittaker are with me. We are going to my shop, grabbing some more weapons, and loading up in a couple of vehicles. Cunningham, I need you to head for HQ, make sure the Maj is alright. Once we have the vehicles, we will grab you and begin a sweep of the area." Wiz looks to the three then turns toward the door. "Lets go, now!" He races for his shop and the contents therein.
[Sherman] Sherman nods. Waits for Whittaker to follow the LT then brings up the rear of the trio.
[Sean] Without a word Sean, with Guiness on his heels, trots to the HQ. As he approched he slowed his pace and slung the rifle over his sholder. He drew the .45 from the holster and cocked the hammer. He approched the HQ scanning the area through the sights on his pistol. He flattened himself against the wall of the HQ and squatted by the enterence, peerng in through the door.
[Brooke Whittaker] As the shooting has appeared to have stopped in the immediate area, Brooke climbed out of the foxhole to join the discussion now that it appears that someone might be in charge.
"I don't know. I probably should find more ammo, in case they regroup and attack again." Brooke stated.
OOC: Assuming that the attacks didn't take their casualties... "Maybe we can get something off of those guys out there...", she gestured in the direction of where the MG crew had been.
Now that the shooting had stopped, it also seemed that whatever was filtering out the sounds of chaos in the camp had also left. "There's a lot to do here yet, too. It sounds like a lot of people and animals are hurt or something. I'm not a medic or anything, but we should probably try to help them out. First, I want to make sure somebody is watching out just in case whoever that was out there decides to come back."
[Sean] "I'm not sure on that one...let's have a look shall we?" Sean whistled a short high whistle and like magic Guiness was at his side. he patted his friends head, "Ready to hunt some bad guys pal?" Guiness replied with a lick to Sean's hand.
[Sean] I say we round up the Major and set up a search party for the enemy and our own wonded...infact..." Sean walked over to the Machine gun area, keeping watchfull for movement. He knelt over one of the bodies of the fallen enemy. He paused to cross himself and make a glance skyward. Then he comenced with searching the body. "Let's see who these nasties are!"
[OCC] Sean is looking for any intelligence he can find...maps, insignias...ect
Doc thinks a moment.
The Colonel's disappeared. HQ is mysteriously silent
My scout to HQ should have returned by now, but hasn't.
The Major just went to HQ... Without escort...
HQ is looking like it was the target more and more...
The Major just went there... Without escort...
"Crap" Doc exclaims, "Wiz, the Major just went waltzing into a trap most likely, you'd better send some troops to go with him. If he goes down, then you are going to end up in command..."
======================
Major von Fischer once again freezes in horror - one of his absolute worst nightmares of the last few years is coming true before his very eyes.
Somewhere way back in a part of his mind untouched as yet by the current unfolding disaster, von Fischer is certain, absolutely certain, that somewhere, at some time in his West Point education there were lectures on this situation - probably a lot of them. Unfortunately that untouched part of his mind doesn't seem to be big enough to actually recall the content of such lectures. Absurdly, all he can think of is an old adage - "Surprise is an event which occurs in the mind of the commander."
Time seems to slow down, as it often does in such situations, and a million fleeting thoughts run through the Major's mind - perhaps the vehicles are friendlies, already organizing in pursuit; even if they aren't - what sort of anti vehicular weaponry can stop them?; what can one man do against these pros in any event?; where the hell is ROCK when you need it anyway? But these thoughts quickly coalesce into a single word -
"No...."
Never before in his long military career has von Fischer had to organize troops in a combat situation - he doesn't have a clue how its done. He is moved more by a fear of failure than any promise of success. He starts running not because he has a plan or even a real goal, or because he has any thought that what he is doing might bring about any good result, but simply because he cannot stand the idea of simply standing there in the wreckage while whatever is happening happens. He runs for the same reason that Richard Garnett went up Cemetery Ridge on horseback - because he feels its his duty to go and because he would rather die than fail again.
As his boots hit the ground outside the tent and he rounds to face the sound of revving engines something tears loose deep inside the Major - the death of his family, his court martial, the endless nightmare of a world sliding into chaos, the blood on his hands - it all comes to a boil somewhere deep in his chest and comes pouring forth as a single word, repeated over and over.
"RALLY!" von Fischer screams - sounding for all the world like a madman - while the small portion of his mind still calm thinks wistfully of flags and trumpets, "RALLY!"
Lacking the sound of guns, the Major runs to the sound of engines instead.
