Part 3: The Big Push

	"There is no retreat. There is no margin for error. We must breach
the second wave of defensive measures around Mount Selene. Every unit will be
assigned a specially trained trooper whose sole task is to destroy the omega
blaster nearest his position. The trooper will be carrying a high yield
energy cannon. Its shoulder mounted and highly cumbersome, but can do an
incredible amount of damage with one shot. If any unit breaches the Neo
defensive line, immediately radio in your position and the remaining units in
the area will converge on the breach and exploit it."

	The commander stood rigid in the briefing room, his voice on edge.
"Make no mistake, there will be no call for retreat this time. This is the
big push that will carry us through their line. Good luck to you all."

	* * *

	"New troops, Sarge."

	Jessie looked up from the map she was examining. It showed the lay of
the land on which the push would occur. "Send them over."

	Five new jumptroopers traipsed their way through the Venutian mud
over to Powers. Fugi introduced them. "This is West, Huber, Greer, Takamori,
and Pahlavan. Pahlavan's the guy that will handle that new energy cannon
thingie the fleet is setting us up with."

	Powers looked them over, pausing only a moment on Greer, who happened
to be the only woman. "Okay people, my name is Sergeant Powers and you get
the displeasure of my company as we attempt to run down some omega blasters
today. Huber and Greer will go with Pfizer. Pahlavan, West, and Takamori will
comprise another group. Pahlavan will be in charge. We head out in fifteen
minutes, get ready." Powers went back to her map, dismissing her new troops
with a wave of her hand. They gradually dispersed into two small groups and
talked amongst themselves as they readied for battle. "Poor bastards, most of
you aren't coming back and you don't even realize it." whispered Powers.

	"Maybe you'll be one of them, Sarge." whispered Fugi "Maybe I will be
too."

	"No Fugi, I learned a long time ago that I'd never be that lucky."

	Fugi stared back her, a little shocked. "How do you consider not
coming back lucky?"

	"If I die, then the fighting would be over for me. I wouldn't have to
lead another bunch of kids to their own funeral, only to survive so I can do
it again."

	"You've been doing this too long, Sarge." commented Fugi.

	"We all have." Sergeant Powers stared off into the distance. The
mountain side seemed peaceful, Jessie enjoyed it while she could.

	* * *

	 "All units! Charge!" Jessie bounded out of the trench with Fugi on
her tail. Pfizer's group was on her left and Pahlavan's was on her right. It
was a damp day on Venus and they moved as quickly as they could through the
mud. The charred remnants of the omega cannon Powers had brought down
supplied some cover, but only for a moment. Another blaster along the Neo
defense line targeted it and blew it apart. "Pahlavan! Get that damn thing!"
ordered Powers. She and Fugi headed toward his position and cleared a path
through the wreckage for him. The heavy equipment he wore slowed him
considerably and the mud wasn't helping.

	"Fugi, hold position!" Powers and he stopped near a piece of wreckage
and got down on their stomachs. "Let's buy Pahlavan some time. Scope." The
targeting scope raised on her rifle and she took aim. Fugi did the same.
Across the way, on the edge of no man's land, a Neo fell into her sights. She
fired and killed him. Fugi connected with a target of his own, found another,
and repeated the process - as did Powers. "Status, Pahlavan."

	A labored voice came over the comm line. "Almost *huff* in range
*huff*."

	"Hurry up." ordered Powers. "Pfizer, get your group down until
Pahlavan takes out a few of those heavy blasters!" Looking to her left, she
could see Pfizer's group flattening themselves against the mountain side.

	Pahlavan slowly passed Powers' position and set himself up a few
dozen feet in front of her. He aimed the bulky cannon at the omega blaster
half a click to his right and fired. The blast decimated the weapon. "Yeah!"
screamed Pahlavan.

	"Don't get cocky, just hit another target!" ordered Powers.

	Pahlavan quickly lined up another shot, this one a heavy blaster. It
too was destroyed. Pahlavan targeted another and repeated the process. "How
about that, Sarge. Fleet actually came up with something that works!" said
Fugi.

	"Uh-oh." said Pahlavan.

	"What is it?" asked Powers.

	"The fusion generator is destabilizing."

	"Huber, Greer, get out of there now. Pahlavan, abandon your weapon!"

	"No wait, I can correct it." said Pahlavan.

	"Now Goddammit!" yelled Powers as she got to her feet. The unit
Pahlavan was carrying was already sparking. "Get out of there now!" ordered
Powers. Greer bolted away from Pahlavan. Huber hesitated.

	"Oh...No!" yelled Pahlavan. His pack exploded, taking him with it.
Huber was knocked off his feet by the blast. Jessie hit the ground again so
as to avoid any debris thrown at her.

	"Pahlavan, report! Greer! Huber!"

	"Greer here."

	Powers heard a moan over the comm line and saw a figure get to his
knees and make his way over to Greer. "Huber here, I don't think Pahlavan
made it."

	"Blasted fleet tech!" muttered Powers. "Greer and Huber are with me
and Fugi. Charge the line!" Jessie got to her feet and activated her jets.
The rest of her unit did the same as they bounced their way to the Neo's
defensive line. The moment it was in range, Jessie began to fire grenades at
it.

	"This is Mengele, we have breached the line! Repeat, we have breached
the line!"

	Powers switched on her comm, "This is Powers, we are about to
breach!" A heavy blaster turned toward their position and fired. The space
once occupied by Takamori became fireball. A simple barb wire fence marked
the end of no mans land. A single grenade from Power's rifle blew it wide
open. "This is Powers, we have breached the line! Repeat, we have breached
the line!" Her unit tightened up around her as they made their way through
the opening without the use of their jets. Numerous Neosapians abandoned
their posts and drew their sidearms. They began to fire as Powers' unit
clustered behind a destroyed heavy blaster.

	"What now?" asked Fugi.

	"We head straight through our friends there and meet up with
Mengele's unit. But first, something to soften them up." Powers extended her
rocket launcher, brought it out from behind cover, and fired. The Neos
attempted to scatter but couldn't run far enough as the missile struck. Neo
bodies flew in all directions.

	"Yeah! Die Neo scum!" yelled West. He charged out from behind cover
to get any survivors.

	"Wait kid!" yelled Pfizer. But it was too late. A few feet in front
of the heavy blaster wreckage he was gunned down by enemy fire. He tried to
drag himself back to his unit, but a second volley of enemy fire stopped him
cold.

	Fugi popped out from behind cover and snapped off two shots for two
kills. He crouched next to Powers. "Well, that's two less, anyway."

	"What do we do now?" asked Greer.

	As if in response, a grenade landed amongst them. "Scatter!" screamed
Powers. She and Fugi jumped over the wreckage and landed flat on their
bellies on the other side. Pfizer and Huber jumped to the right and into
enemy fire. Greer hit her jets and bounced to the left and back over the
defensive line. The grenade detonated. Powers and Fugi began to crawl back
around to the other side of the heavy blaster wreckage. Pfizer got to his
feet only to be hit with enough laser blasts to bring him down again. Huber
ran for the heavy blaster.

	Across the line, Greer was carefully making her way back to Powers.
Her foot snagged something. Greer looked down and pulled it free. That's when
she realized she just snapped a trip wire. "Oh nuts."

	The blast drew both Powers' and Fugi's attention. "So much for
Greer." he said with a shake of the head.

	"Pfizer's down too." stated Powers. Huber ran toward their position.
"Move your butt, Huber!" A blast struck his left shoulder. Huber stopped as
he dropped his rifle. His hand reached for the wound as blood trickled out
from between his fingers. He stared at Powers as the two blasts which would
take his life away struck him in the chest, bringing him down.

	"Just the two of us, Sarge."

	"If you believe in a higher power, praying to it would be a good
idea." said Jessie.

	"Considering there might not be another time to say this - if we live
through this, will you go out with me?" asked Fugi.

	Powers began reloading her grenade launcher. "You know better than
that, Fugi."

	"I know, but I'm in the dating pool."

	Powers fired off a few shots then got behind cover again. "Dating
pool?" questioned Powers.

	Fugi snapped off a few shots of his own then continued. "Yeah, every
man puts in 5 credits. Whoever can get you to go out with him wins the pot."

	"How much?" asked Powers.

	"1000."

	"1000? How long has this been going on?" The duo took their shots
together then settled behind cover again.

	"About a year."

	"I never got wind of it."

	"Would make it kind of pointless if you did, no?"

	"Gimme half and you got a deal." stated Powers.

	"Deal." said Fugi. He extended his hand and they shook on it.

	"Now comes the hard part, surviving long enough to collect."

	"Right." agreed Fugi. The blaster fire suddenly grew more heavy.

	Powers drew tense. "Here they come." Suddenly the shooting stopped.

	"Sierra Three unit, report!" said a familiar voice. Powers peaked her
head out from behind cover and saw Crow Mengele wave back at her. "It's over
Sergeant, you can come out."

* * *

	 "Rough day out there, Sergeant?" asked Captain Jose.

	"Yes sir, Fugi and I were the only survivors."

	"I'm sorry to hear that." replied Jose.

	"Sir, I wish to file charges of incompetence against fleet."

	Jose raise an eyebrow. "Why?"

	"The equipment they gave us proved faulty, costing a man's life."
stated Powers flatly.

	"I understand, Sergeant, and I sympathize. Request denied."

	"Sir?" questioned Powers.

	"The design has already been scrapped, filing charges would be moot.
Thankfully, Pahlavan was the only casualty due to malfunction."

	Power's face reddened. "But sir...!" she protested.

	"Do you honestly believe I don't know how you feel!?" snapped Jose.
"I lost six men today, two of them while trying to haul one of those blasted
contraptions up the mountain! I hate what fleet did to us today, but there's
nothing we can do about it except suck it up and hope they don't try it
again." Jose stood up and turned his back to her as he gazed out his tent
window toward the mountain.

	"They shouldn't be able to pull stuff like this." said Powers.

	"We're the Jumpcorps, Sergeant. There's a reason we're nicknamed the
meatgrinder; congratulations, you just found out why."

To be continued...