Wartime Memories

Chap. 3: Siege

It was always said not to let your guard down, not to let an advantage slip...we all thought we had that advantage...we all thought we were safe...how wrong were we...now...we really paid for it.

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Weeks after Operation Pilgrim...

North Kerman, Camp Stingray, 01:37 hours

We're all having fun now. We all were ordered to hang around at Stingray while bigger bulkier forces pushed ahead to take more and more of the fight to the enemy. The camp was pretty laid-back with a bunch of guys playing music on boom-boxes and there were even a few inflatable pools lying around. The most of the squad was playing volleyball at the time. I, however, sat down in one of the guard towers overlooking all the fun in the sun and listening to some music myself, without a single care in the world. You could consider it a vacation if you lost all the military gear lying around, and the occasional armored cavalry convoy passing though.

The guard towers were quite nice, and roomy. They obviously looked like your average olive green steel towers, but the one I was in had a few tables and chairs lying around, along with a bulletin board, and a whiteboard. Got me thinking to turn this place into the squad's hangout or something. Not like we'll be on the front in quite the while, anyways, since Vanguard's job as being a spearhead for other branches is done. Now, all we have to do is sit back and let the more run-of-the-mill cavalry and mechanized infantry Vanguards do what they need, and we all can head home. Then again, we will probably be called back to fix someone else's mistakes, but we usually do that anyways.

"Yo cap. what's up?" said Glint with sweat still dripping down his face from the volleyball game as he climbed up the stairs behind me

"Oh, nothing, just hanging out mostly" I replied

He proceeded to pull up a folding steel chair next to me "Alright...I believe I haven't really heard your 'story' yet, have I?"

"Kid, I'm full of 'stories'...I lived for a thousand years or so...what exactly do you want to know, eh?...better to be exact than spend a week telling you my life from A to Z. To make it fun, just go rapid fire if you want," I replied as I began to lean back in my chair

"Well...well how long have you been in Equestria?...You seem to know everything about anything but it's like you've always been there." questioned Glint

I stopped leaning and then turned to him whilst slouching forward and resting my elbows on my knees "Honestly I was born in Equestria, and I spent quite a good amount of time there, and it does still and always will reside as my home...but when I was younger I developed a massive wanderlust and just left to see the world. I went everywhere, learning everything straight from the tap. I also spent my time fighting many battles for multiple causes. Every opportunity, I also learned from someone else's folly as well as my own falters. Every time getting better and better. Eventually I found my way back, and dropped my self into this conflict as well. That all you need to know?"

He scratched the back of his head and took a good moment to think of a crafty question to ask "Uuuuhhh...well your a alicorn, so your much, much stronger than any unicorn, so why don't you just use magic to fight your battles...you'll surely take anyone down with ease, right?"

"Good question," I replied "well, yes I am an alicorn, and yes I am far stronger than a unicorn, but you see, magic isn't that effective in combat with modern tech. Sure, there have been those occurrences where a unicorn was able use magic spells to deflect a fatal bullet, or save his friend from a crude demise, or even take out many adversaries, and these are few and far between but it's actually quite ineffective when tested. Especially when top brass proceeds to sink their time and money into tactics, the practice of magic in combat is discouraged even further. That and also many countries are signing doctrines to stop that now. Soon magic will only be used in one-on-one duels or strictly old-fashioned combat with steel armor and sword 'n' board...In the end even if I did use magic, sooner or later I'll be court martialed for it, that and it's more challenging not to use it, and make battles more balanced. In my honest opinion, I think it's just an unneeded variable on the modern battlefield,"

He kept the ball rolling "Ahh...I see...what other battles or wars have you participated in, in recent years?"

"Even there resides a long list," I sighed "But one of my more entertaining battles I fought was when I was a pilot fighting for a barren mountainous air region called Bravo 7 Romeo, around North Asia. And let me tell ya that is quite the tale."

"Oi lads, wot the 'ell are you doing?" I hear as a set of hands are planted on my shoulders

"Alright Rev, Spinter is so going to whoop your ass when we tell him you've been doing the whole 'mocking accents' thing again" Glint mentioned with the annoyance reflecting in his voice

"I'm not mocking," he futilely responded "I'm just practicing,"

Glint crossed his arms "Yeah, as if!"

Kids will be kids.

I got up and proceeded to lean against the metal siding of the tower "Alright you two, knock it off...Rev remember that 'offer' I made you a while ago? I'm still more than happy to make that a reality,"

"Yeah whatever," said Rev as he started walking away "it's dead up here, I'll be heading back to the volleyball games,

"Please" simultaneously shot out of our mouths as Rev went back down the stairs...so smooth running himself right out of that one.

"Uggghhh, how did you even get a team mate like this guy anyway?" said Glint as he pointed his thumb at the stairs Rev descended on

"I didn't exactly chose them by hand per-se," I sat up on the railing behind me "command had that honor. But they were particularly keen with these squaddies of ours because they all excelled with something that covered certain weaknesses. Orion and Rev fighting for example: they always are at each other's throats and that's what keeps Rev on his game, and also Orion can control Rev to make sure he doesn't do something stupid. Rev helps Orion by making Orion be responsible for him, which keeps Orion 100% focused on anything and everything and not get tunnel vision on just what's at hand, even though it doesn't seem like it. Orion doesn't talk much to just about anyone, though. Some of us just think he's anti-social like crazy or secretly developing PTSD or something. He changed after his brother died...that's for certain... Splinter and I were old buds for the longest time, so it by all means seems logical for us to be teamed up, since we have such a good chemistry. Citrus always cared for everyone and made sure to put problems to bed...but she still comes to me when she has a big problem. We pretty much talk stuff out most of the time. I'm the leader of coarse, so I'm always keeping everything in order and planning ahead of the fight in front of us. You, well...your the new kid on the block...so we do have to train you, but you also train us in some ways, and you keep us 'in character' if you'd look at it like that,"

"Oh, I'm so honored" Glint replied

I grinned slightly "Eh don't worry kid...I said you'd do fine, and you are now, right?"

"Yeah, whatever," he went on to ask another question "You said you went through plenty of battles, but why aren't you in the Equestrian Royal Guard by now?"

"I just didn't want to enter that field. And what, you expect me to turn into big bad Prince Shining Armor or something? Yeah, I'm just not about that sort of lifestyle...sure, I may end up there eventually, but that will solely be on my terms, and mine only," I replied

Glint smiled "You know, your surely an interesting stallion, boss...sometimes I just wonder how your not the most well-known pony on the planet yet"

"Honestly I think the same exact thing...the world works in weird ways, sometimes" I giddily responded

"Yeah...it sure does" agreed Glint

Someone started shouting down below "Hey, are you done roosting in your nest up there, or will I have to go up there and carry you down myself?"

It's Citrus yelling at me yet again "C'mon we got a good game going and I'm so not letting you miss out on it!"

"Alright fine, have it your way!" I screamed back as I jumped over the rail to join them

I turned to yell up at my previous post "Are you gonna sit this one out Glint? You looked pretty beat earlier!"

"Yeah, I'll spectate this one!" He yelled back

"And here I was actually thinking I'd have to drag you out" Citrus sarcastically mentions behind me

"Yeah, you'd like that, now, wouldn't you?" I lightly fired back, making her smile

I took a position on the make-shift court "Alright, let's get this going"

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Later on in the day I must of fallen asleep back in the tower...it-...it's just that it seemed like the pieces all fallen into place...that everything was 'ok'...how wrong was I...how stupid was I...some leader I was...I still think everything is my fault...I know it is...

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PHSSSSSssssssssssssssstt BOOM! An extremely loud explosion woke me from my sleep, and it caused me to fall off of my chair. It came from the camp courtyard. Soon after that I heard multiple smaller booms and crackles, and saw flashes in the distance. I quickly ran out of the guard tower trying to collect my thoughts and get a bearing as to what the hell is going on. But as I stood there at the bottom of the stairs, it seemed as if everything had no sound...as if I was losing my hearing all together. I was tunneled in and caught entirely by surprise. I noticed a figure came up from behind me, grabbed me by the back of my shirt collar and practically dragged me to the side of a more permanent aluminum building from when we made this place the camp's permanent home.

The blurry figure yelled "STAY THE FUCK DOWN!" as he pushed me right up against the paneling

After a few seconds I noticed it was around midnight, but the flashes kept everything well-lit, and quite deceptive. The figure that saved me tried turning the corner of the building. In his attempt he fallen backwards and was lying motionless on the ground. After another 10 seconds I broke out of what seemed to be a trance to find that...that a soldier fallen right in front of me with bullet holes in his chest. I quickly came to the realization 'Th-...that's gunfire...we're under attack!'.

I struggled to pull the lifeless soldier's body into the cover he placed me in, and instantly started grabbing his gun and as much ammo as I could. My mind was still trapped in a sort of fuzz.

After I picked up all I could, I realize had to refer back to what other experienced soldiers commonly told recruits in emergency combat situations. They always said to lay out your actions into steps, and so I did. I went over it all in my head then and there.

'Step 1: Find a safe place to get my head straight...Step 2: Find friendlies...they know about the situation better than I do...Step 3: Re-unite with the squad...Step 4: Try not to die...'

I tried to measure where the bullets are coming from and run directly away from them. It turns out I needed to be heading towards the back of the camp, towards Kerman.

The fire was coming from everywhere, and I had to use a few boxes to move from cover to cover in my retreat from the deadly hail. Some came close enough to where I actually felt them pelt the ground as I was running away with my tail practically between my legs.

As I finally made it towards the back of the camp, I noticed more and more soldiers were around me, returning fire to wherever the heck we were being shot from. As I was rummaging along, trying to find where exactly an enemy was without getting my head shot off, I was seeing we were at a horrible disadvantage...more than what we were already. The rain of led still poured down onto us, and for certain it was much, much more than we could throw back. I was thinking we all had to run the hell away, and figure out a better position to fight from, but nobody moved.

Soldiers were getting cut down left, right, and center. I remember one got hit clean in the head with a PLINK! sound of his helmet being pierced by a bullet. His blood quickly coated the sand as I saw him just lay there. Half of his skull was torn off, leaving a massive bloody dent.

As I kept moving, a field medic yelled out to me "Hey you, I need help over here, he's hit!"

I quickly darted over to the set of supply crates they were behind, and took a look at the soldier who was injured. He was hit in the lower abdomen and was bleeding out fast.

The medic gave me a thick cotton pad and said "I'm almost done here, I just need you apply pressure while I patch him up,"

I pressed the pad against the poor sap's open and fast-flowing wound. He let out a painful scream as I applied pressure, and the doc. wrapped another bandage around him to keep it secure. The entire time his warm blood seeped all over my hands, coating them in a dark, sticky crimson.

After he wrapped the bandage around a final time, he put his arm on my shoulder "Ok he should live, now. Move out and find safety!"

I legged it out of there without question, leaving that small group of soldiers and the medic behind.

Once I finally got to the last aluminum 'hut' on the back corner of the camp, I noticed I was caught right between the enemy fire, and also a strip of desert before Kerman. One soldier in particular stopped me and pulled me to his side when we were in cover against the building.

"Orion!?" was the only thing that left my lips

He turned around with an extremely stern look on his face. With his normally torn and scratched voice he said "Look...I'm only saying this once. Dammit we've got a losing battle out here. Just point your nose out to that city, run and keep fuckin running. I've already sent everyone else out there, so you should be meeting up with them as well"

My mind went numb to what he was saying "Well w-...what about you? we need to stick together in this!"

He looked me dead in the eyes and said "You need to meet up with your team!...quit being a stupid prideful fuck-up and take your own advice for once, high and mighty squad lead!"

His words took me aback...why is he saying this nonsense? Why? I was speechless

"Look" he grabbed my attention back from my mental absence...he proceeded to tear off his dog-tags and push them into my chest "These past few months have been good to me, Val. Take these and join up with the others. Don't worry about me. NOW MOVE IT!"

He pushed me backwards, leaving me to catch his tags in my hands

I followed his advice and ran into the desert to the city, periodically looking down at his tags. I knew what that meant. He wasn't coming back...

Everything seemed surreal...as if it was all a nightmare, but I still had to keep my head, despite whatever was going on. Eventually, after a hard sprint through the barren planes, I made it to the edge of the city...so starts the search for my missing squaddies...

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I should have stayed...I should of been there to fight by his side...but instead I ran like some coward...I ran and kept running...It all happened so fast...I could barely keep up at the time...