28
The Final Assault
Tam couldn’t wait to get back to his army. He’d be leading the most important battle in the history of Tarizon. He was a little surprised that Commander Lanzia had agreed so readily to his request. Most men would have wanted all the glory for themselves; but not the Liberator. Leek Lanzia had never cared anything about glory. Tam had thought that might change after he had a taste of it, but it hadn’t for Leek Lanzia. If there had been a change in him it had been the development of a sad demeanor brought on by the weighty responsibility of being Commander of the 3rd Army, being a witness to a shocking amount of bloodshed, and losing Luci, the woman he loved. If one thing was clear, Leek Lanzia would gladly give up all the power and glory to have his beloved Luci back, or even for a ticket to Earth. Tam often wished he’d been chosen to be the Liberator, for he would have no regrets and relish every moment of it.
When Tam arrived at his camp, John, Riddle the rhutz, and Colonel Belmoht were there to greet him.
“How did the briefing go, Commander?” John asked.
“Very well. You won’t believe this, but the 5th Army has been selected to lead the initial strike on the capital.”
The men smiled but didn’t look as excited about the honor as Tam did.
“When?” John asked.
“We leave in three days. We must be in position in five days.”
“That doesn’t give us much time,” Colonel Belmoht complained.
“We have no choice. The Chancellor is leaving the city in seven days, so we must strike before he leaves.”
“Do you think we can get to the capital city in time? There are a lot of TGA troops between us and Shisk.”
“True, but their morale is bad and without hovertanks they’ve proven to be no match for us. We must attack decisively and drive them back to Shisk by the anniversary of the war.”
“Why that date?”
He explained to them at length about the battle plan and reasoning behind it.
“Fireworks and a party? Do you really think the TGA will fall for that?” Colonel Belmoht asked.
“Yes, I think they probably will, but that’s not important. All they have to do is be sufficiently distracted to miss the fact that we are redeploying our troops.”
“How can we get a hundred thousand troops through that tiny little gate at the entrance of the dome?” John asked.
“We’ll have to punch larger holes on both sides of the gate so there will be plenty of room for the troops to enter the city. We’ll use ATVs and copters once inside so we can move fast. We must clear a corridor straight through to the Capitol Building and then hold it.”
“Won’t that allow pollution into the city?” Colonel Belmoht asked.
“Yes, but the filtration system can handle it as long as there aren’t any fires. No bombs or torches in the city. Use your lasers or rifles. Part of the mutant militia is already in the city and may join up with us during the battle. Initially they’ll be stirring up trouble to get the police and the TGA Away from our point of attack.”
“What if the TGA shows less restraint and lights the place up?” Colonel Belmoht asked.
“Then you’ll have to break out your breathers and use them. They’ll be no retreating once we’re in the city. If we don’t complete our objective we’ll likely be surrounded and killed, so follow orders and be vigilant. And remember our primary objective is to capture or kill Videl Lai. He mustn’t escape. If we get him the war is over. If he escapes it may go on for many cycles.”
“What about the rhutz? They can’t use breathers,” John noted.
Tam looked at Riddle and thought, “What about that Riddle?”
“It’s okay,” Riddle said silently, “we’re used to the foul air. We’ve been living outside the dome for many cycles.”
Tam nodded and vocalized Riddle’s thoughts. “The rhutz have adapted to the bad air somehow. Don’t worry about them.”
“All right,” Colonel Belmoht said. “I’ll notify the division commanders.”
“Very good. I’ll see all of you at dawn.”
Tam and his staff disbursed to begin preparations for the mission. There was a lot to do in just a short time, but Tam’s staff was used to being under the gun and reacted quickly and effectively. On the eve of the mission Tam felt they were as ready as they would ever be, but he was still too hyped up to sleep. He had a million things running through his mind. He had volunteered his Army to lead the assault on the capital and now he was wondering if he’d been rash in wanting to take point on the operation. If it failed the blame for the Loyalist defeat could well be placed on his shoulders. He quickly dismissed that thought as he had often told his men there was no room for negativism in the 5th army.
As he was lying in his bed tossing and turning Threebeard’s thoughts came to him.
“Greetings my friend. I just wanted to give you my encouragement for the upcoming battle. I know it must be weighing heavily on your mind right now.”
“You’ve got that right,” Tam thought.
“Don’t be nervous. Your army is well prepared for this battle.”
“I’m just concerned about getting to Shisk in time. If the enemy engages us early on we may get bogged down and unable to reach the city quickly.”
“Don’t be concerned about that. You’ll be the last thing the TGA will be worrying about tomorrow. We’ve hit them hard all day from the south and from the sea and tomorrow the assault will even be more intense. I’m confident you’ll have nothing but token opposition on the road to Shisk.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear that. Once we get there I’m confident we can fulfill our mission.”
“I know you can. Now sleep. You’ll need your strength and a clear head tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir. Thanks again for your encouragement.”
Threebeard’s presence ended and Tam felt much better. Before long he was asleep and slept soundly until he was awakened the next morning. After eating a quick breakfast and meeting with his staff one last time, the 5th Army was on the move and crossing the Soni border headed for Shisk. The 5th army’s two airborne divisions had been working all night blasting anything that moved along the road to Shisk. By noon the army had progressed halfway to their destination and had yet to encounter anything but token opposition.
The plan was to make it appear that the army was joining up with 3rd Army to the south which had launched an attack the previous day and was in the midst of a fierce battle. But as night fell the army stopped and, to anyone observing, appeared to have set up camp. The truth was the army was merely resting and waiting to move on.
Just after nightfall the sky over Soni lit up with a magnificent display of fireworks, flares, and mortar fire. Loud music permeated the air and Loyalist supporters under the dome took to the streets to celebrate the first anniversary of the war. Under this cover the 5th army moved into position for the following mornings assault.
At dawn a thousand soldiers made fires and moved around the 5th Army’s staged campsite to give the illusion that the army was still there. It was hoped that this charade would be effective for at least a kyloon or two so that the mission could be commenced before the deception was detected. The plan worked and at dawn Riddle the rhutz and a hundred and fifty of his pack raced through the TGA checkpoint at northwest gate 11. The guards watched the beasts run by in shock and awe until the last few of them turned on the guards and attacked. The guards went down without much of a fight. They were no match for the rhutz who went for their carotid arteries leaving them lifeless in a pool of blood.
Tam’s special ops team arrived next on the scene cutting two large rectangular doorways in the dome on both sides to allow for easy access into the city. As soon as they were done the 5th Army began its trek through Shisk toward the Capitol Building meeting very little resistance. Some marched, some rode in ATVs and others were ferried in by copter. C
rowds of mutants and Loyalist supporters along the way cheered at seeing the Loyalist troops entering the city.
Tam smiled and waved at the people streaming out of the factories and warehouses as they passed. This wasn’t what he was expecting. He’d anticipated heavy resistance. Something was wrong, he told himself. He picked up his GC to check with Lt. Hawkh who was running the special ops team.
“C1, report.”
“C1, here. We’re about to leave the industrial district and heading into the downtown area.”
“Any resistance?”
“No. Just friendly crowds.”
“Describe what you’re seeing now.”
“We’re starting down a boulevard lined with skyscrapers on both sides. They’re all quite magnificent. Conspicuous in their absence are the police and the TGA.”
“Something is wrong. I think it’s a trap. Don’t go down that street.”
“But—“
There was a tremendous explosion and the GC went dead.
“C1, are you all right? C1! Can you hear me?”
There was no response.
“S2, report.”
“S2 here.”
“What’s happening?”
“Several large buildings up ahead have exploded and collapsed on our troops and the spectators who were cheering them on. There are fires raging and the dust and smoke has brought visibility to near zero. I can’t see a thing, but I can hear people screaming and crying in agony. ”
“Oh, Sandee. Find out what happened and give me a casualty report as soon as you can.”
“Yes, sir,” S2 replied and signed off.
Tam felt sick. The TGA had been cagey. They hadn’t put up a fight but instead set a trap and he’d fallen right into it. He wondered if he’d lost his rhutz and the special ops team. He closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and thought of Riddle. Pain and grief quickly overwhelmed him. Riddle was alive and looking back at the pile of rubble that covered half his pack. Riddle let out a mournful howl that forced Tam to sever his connection.
“S2, reporting.”
“Go, S2,” Tam said.
“We’ve lost the special ops team and over a thousand soldiers who were following close behind them. Our corridor is completely blocked. We’ll have to take a detour to get to the capitol building.”
“No, that’s what they will expect us to do. Use the copters to get over the rubble and keep moving.”
“What if another building explodes?”
“I doubt they’d do that. The contamination from these fires will tax the city’s air purification system to the limit.”
“Very well. I’ll call in the copters we have working the corridor now and see if we can locate some more to speed up the process.”
“Very good, S2. Keep me posted.”
Tam wondered if Lt. Hawkh was dead. He wanted to organize a rescue party to look for survivors but he knew that wasn’t practical right away. He had to concentrate on his mission now and get to Videl before he escaped from the city. As he was contemplating the situation Colonel Belmoht approached him.
“What are we going to do now, Commander?”
“We’ll use our copters to get our troops over the debris and then continue on to the capitol like we planned.”
“But, sir. It will take many kyloons to get our troops over the burning buildings and the enemy will most likely put up a stiff resistance once we get moving again. I’m afraid there is no chance in Hell we’ll be able to make our timetable.”
Tam began to pace back and forth. “There must be another way,” he said to himself. His face suddenly lit up. “The nanomites. Maybe the nanomites can build us a path through the debris.”
Colonel Belmoht gave him a skeptical look. “But that would take time if it were even possible.”
“I don’t know. Commander Lanzia told me a story once about his first encounter with the nanomites. He said in a matter of a loon they reduced his fifteen-by-eighteen-foot bedroom to the size of a small closet. If they can move walls around that quickly, maybe they will be able to build us a path through the rubble.”
“Too bad you can’t communicate with them.”
“I haven’t been able to, but Commander Lanzia could do it. I’ll call him.”
He picked up his GC and summoned his old friend.
“Tam. Are you all right? We saw the explosion and the fires,” Leek said. “What happened?”
“Someone must have leaked our plans. They rigged several large buildings to explode and block our path. We lost quite a few rhutz and the special ops team.”
“Oh, my God! Rhin and I felt it, the betrayal, but we couldn’t figure out who it was.”
“I don’t know either, but we’re expecting an attack at any moment. We need to find a way to move on or we’ll have to retreat. We can’t afford to stand around like sitting dirkbirds.”
“How can we help?”
“Can you ask your nanomite friends to build us a path through the rubble?”
Leek thought about that a moment. “I don’t know. I’ll see if I can contact them. The TGA fumigated a lot of the buildings so I don’t know if there will be enough of them left to build you a path. Give me a moment.”
Tam waited what seemed like forever, then the GC lit up and Leek’s voice came pouring through. “I’ve contacted the nanomites. Most of the buildings built by the nanomites, including the ones blown up, were fumigated, so there aren’t any nanomites close by to help you.”
“Then I should order a retreat?” Tam asked.
“No! The nanomite leader I contacted spoke of an underground ventilation duct large enough for soldiers to get through. It’s part of the city’s air filtration system. He says there should be a maintenance entrance near each tram station. There will be fans and filter units along the duct that will block your passage but most of them have maintenance doors you can get though without any trouble.”
“Thank you, Commander. That’s great news. We’ll give that a try and hopefully see you at the Capitol Building.”
Tam barked orders to the men around him and they began to move toward the tram station. Several soldiers screamed that they’d found the entrance and soldiers immediately began pouring down into the tunnel. The dark, damp tunnel ran deep below the city, so an advance team was sent in to set up lanterns and light torches along the way. The tunnel was made of the same crystal-like substance that the nanomites used for their buildings, so the floor was smooth and the soldiers were able to move quickly two by two under the mayhem of the city above. Twenty loons later soldiers started coming out well beyond the demolished building. They were met by a half dozen rhutz, including Riddle, who’d survived the building’s collapse. As they moved away from the tunnel’s exit they saw several dead TGA soldiers strewn about.
Tam, who had yet to enter the tunnel, put his GC to his ear. “S2, report.”
“S2, reporting. Some of us are through the tunnel. It will take a little while to regroup and then we’ll move forward according to our plans.”
“Good. I’ll be taking a copter over there in a loon. Are there any survivors from the special ops team?”
“Haven’t seen any, but there are a half dozen rhutz who made it through. Lucky for us they did. It seems the TGA had a welcoming party waiting for us when we came out of the duct.”
“Really? Thank God and Sandee.”
“They’ll be leading the way once we get started again.”
“Good,” Tam said. “They’ll warn you if there are any TGA soldiers ahead, but I think Commander Lanzia’s diversion has worked for the most part. This building demolition seems to be a defensive maneuver to buy them time to get some troops over here to protect the Capitol Building.”
“And Videl Lai, if he hasn’t already left the city.”
“Oh, I’m sure he’s still here. He’s a proud man and he won’t leave the capital city unless it’s a matter of life or death.”
“All right. I just got word that we’re ready to move out. Anyt
hing else, Commander?”
“Yes, the contamination level has gone red. You’ll need to break out your breathers.”
“Very good, sir. I’ll give the order.”
As Tam turned off the GC he heard a copter coming. He looked up and watched it land a hundred strides away. When it was on the ground he and Colonel Belmoht ran for it and climbed aboard. It took off and rose high above the rubble and the heat draft caused by the fires.
Riding a copter was nothing like a fighter. A fighter had a smooth, quiet ride, whereas the copter was noisy and vibrated terribly. But with its transparent exterior, the copter provided a view that was breathtaking. Although visibility was poor, the sky was clear enough that Tam could see the massive battles raging outside the city to the south. He could also see crowds fighting police and soldiers all over the city. He felt encouraged by what he saw until he spotted a space shuttle landing on the beach just west of the city. He picked up his GC and punched in a code.
“R1 here,” Commander Lanzia advised.
“This is R2. I’m in a copter over the site of the building demolition.”
“Did you get through the ventilation ducts?”
“Yes, the nanomites were correct. We’re back on track, but I’ve just observed a space shuttle landing outside the dome to the west of the city. I suspect it’s Videl’s ride.”
“Understood. We’ll have to move quickly to head him off and prevent him from leaving the dome. I’ll contact the seafolken. They’re coming in from the west. Perhaps they can intercept him. In the meantime, urge your men to move quickly to the Capitol Building. We can’t let Videl escape! He’s got to be captured, dead or alive!”
Tarizon, Civil War, Tarizon Trilogy Vol 2 Page 16
