Post by apothecary on Aug 20, 2019 13:14:59 GMT -5
Theed city burned, thick columns on ink black smoke filled the air, the roar of weapons fire and wail of alarms almost drowned out the screams of the terrified populace. The surprise attack had overrun significant portions of the city, with allied forces unable or unwilling to make a stand. Yet the docks stubbornly resisted, repulsing two attempts made by the enemy to seize their position. The 22nd Orbital Shock Brigade had been stationed on Naboo for exercises and operational training with allied forces. No one had expected a mercenary group to arrive without warning in planetary orbit and commence a brutal assault.
The presence of Vartian forces proved to be fortuitous since they responded to the attack with the ferocious tenacity that defined their militaristic race. Major Yana Talanskia studied the holographic map, making careful not the disposition of her forces and the invaders. The Vartians had rapidly constructed barricades, blocking roads with vehicles and strategically collapsed columns. They dug fox holes and mortar pits in spaces of open ground left for flowers and other strange waste of valuable space. Buildings were made tougher, windows sandbagged and firing holes made in walls of buildings.
Though far from the perfect defensive position, the Vartians had managed to repulse two attacks, though the second almost breached their line due to a lack of heavy anti-armour weapons. The 22nd Shock Brigade was a rapid assault force, similar in role to paratroopers deployed by primitive armies. They were sent in to hold key positions behind enemy lines, as such they lacked heavy artillery, anti aircraft weapons and many anti armour weapons. The Shock Brigades were to hold until relieved, but Yana lacked any information onto whether or not there was anybody coming to help.
Any other commander might have considered a breakout or worse surrendering to the enemy. Nay, it was not so for a Vartian, they had received no orders to tactically withdraw so would fight to the last.
As they were holding the docks, the pathetic civilian populace sought shelter amongst them. At first they had been shot at by Vartians, who believed them to be some new novel form of enemy attack. But since they kept coming the Vartians had reluctantly let them through. The civilians were using the boats to escape the burning city. Well... Some of them were escaping, anyone in a uniform was being roughly pulled out by Vartian soldiers, given a weapon and place into line. To a Vartian, anyone in a uniform was some form of soldier, at least according to their own culture. In reality, they did not grab soldiers trying to retreat but civilians, many of whom knew nothing about fighting. Yana did not know nor care for the distinction, her forces needed numbers in order to hold this position, some of her platoons had sustained overly sixty percent casualties. But they were starting to run low on ammunition and she was running rapidly out of options to counter the enemy. Dust showered down from several nearby detonations, she sucked in a harsh breath through her gasmask and picked up a communicator, she barked a simple phrase down it. "Shattered Shield I repeat Shattered Shield." Shattered Shield was the Vartian call sign for a force in immediate danger of being overrun. It served as an emergency signal for any and all reinforcements to come to aid their collapsing line.
Yana snatched up her carbine, if the 22nd was doomed to die this day then by the Vartian Republic it would be an ending worthy of a Triumph. "This is Omega Actual to all Omegas. Prepare to attack." If she was to die, then it would be in the manner fitting of a Vartian, charging towards the enemy, bayonet glinting, weapons kicking, taking the fight to the foe.
Let the cowards flee and run, begging for shelter or mercy. A real soldier fought. Her command squad followed her out into the smoke choked air, civilians were filing past, screaming and whimpering in fear. Yana glanced at the water, boats bobbed in it's waves, bodies floated and fires burned on it's surface marking the graves of downed aircraft and boats. Any other being would of been moved at the suffering of a fellow sentient race, not so for a Vartian. She ignored the suffering, as they all did, uncaring for they were not soldiers, they were not a military asset. A hindrance. That was the only reason why the Vartians were letting them leave, because they were a hindrance. They received no aid nor medical supplies. Yana watched as two of her soldiers yanked a man clad in some uniform out, a female screamed and two young children cried out as he was dragged away. He would fight, he was a soldier, if he did not want to fight then he should not have worn a uniform.
They were unworthy, if they were willing to fight for their home then it would not be falling. But no, they were running, watching as their wasteful building burned, as their enemy plundered their homes. It was Vartians who fought, Vartian blood, Vartian steel that remained strong and pure. "All Omegas, allied forces to the fore. Any who retreat, maximum extermination protocol. There is to be no mercy to cowards and traitors." As her unit leaders acknowledged, she made her way to the front, scrambling over rubble, hoping over craters and stepping over bodies of slain Vartian and civilian alike. Mortars popped, spitting a few more rounds down range to keep the enemy ducking. Soon they would counter attack, better to die on the attack than to be driven into the water.
The presence of Vartian forces proved to be fortuitous since they responded to the attack with the ferocious tenacity that defined their militaristic race. Major Yana Talanskia studied the holographic map, making careful not the disposition of her forces and the invaders. The Vartians had rapidly constructed barricades, blocking roads with vehicles and strategically collapsed columns. They dug fox holes and mortar pits in spaces of open ground left for flowers and other strange waste of valuable space. Buildings were made tougher, windows sandbagged and firing holes made in walls of buildings.
Though far from the perfect defensive position, the Vartians had managed to repulse two attacks, though the second almost breached their line due to a lack of heavy anti-armour weapons. The 22nd Shock Brigade was a rapid assault force, similar in role to paratroopers deployed by primitive armies. They were sent in to hold key positions behind enemy lines, as such they lacked heavy artillery, anti aircraft weapons and many anti armour weapons. The Shock Brigades were to hold until relieved, but Yana lacked any information onto whether or not there was anybody coming to help.
Any other commander might have considered a breakout or worse surrendering to the enemy. Nay, it was not so for a Vartian, they had received no orders to tactically withdraw so would fight to the last.
As they were holding the docks, the pathetic civilian populace sought shelter amongst them. At first they had been shot at by Vartians, who believed them to be some new novel form of enemy attack. But since they kept coming the Vartians had reluctantly let them through. The civilians were using the boats to escape the burning city. Well... Some of them were escaping, anyone in a uniform was being roughly pulled out by Vartian soldiers, given a weapon and place into line. To a Vartian, anyone in a uniform was some form of soldier, at least according to their own culture. In reality, they did not grab soldiers trying to retreat but civilians, many of whom knew nothing about fighting. Yana did not know nor care for the distinction, her forces needed numbers in order to hold this position, some of her platoons had sustained overly sixty percent casualties. But they were starting to run low on ammunition and she was running rapidly out of options to counter the enemy. Dust showered down from several nearby detonations, she sucked in a harsh breath through her gasmask and picked up a communicator, she barked a simple phrase down it. "Shattered Shield I repeat Shattered Shield." Shattered Shield was the Vartian call sign for a force in immediate danger of being overrun. It served as an emergency signal for any and all reinforcements to come to aid their collapsing line.
Yana snatched up her carbine, if the 22nd was doomed to die this day then by the Vartian Republic it would be an ending worthy of a Triumph. "This is Omega Actual to all Omegas. Prepare to attack." If she was to die, then it would be in the manner fitting of a Vartian, charging towards the enemy, bayonet glinting, weapons kicking, taking the fight to the foe.
Let the cowards flee and run, begging for shelter or mercy. A real soldier fought. Her command squad followed her out into the smoke choked air, civilians were filing past, screaming and whimpering in fear. Yana glanced at the water, boats bobbed in it's waves, bodies floated and fires burned on it's surface marking the graves of downed aircraft and boats. Any other being would of been moved at the suffering of a fellow sentient race, not so for a Vartian. She ignored the suffering, as they all did, uncaring for they were not soldiers, they were not a military asset. A hindrance. That was the only reason why the Vartians were letting them leave, because they were a hindrance. They received no aid nor medical supplies. Yana watched as two of her soldiers yanked a man clad in some uniform out, a female screamed and two young children cried out as he was dragged away. He would fight, he was a soldier, if he did not want to fight then he should not have worn a uniform.
They were unworthy, if they were willing to fight for their home then it would not be falling. But no, they were running, watching as their wasteful building burned, as their enemy plundered their homes. It was Vartians who fought, Vartian blood, Vartian steel that remained strong and pure. "All Omegas, allied forces to the fore. Any who retreat, maximum extermination protocol. There is to be no mercy to cowards and traitors." As her unit leaders acknowledged, she made her way to the front, scrambling over rubble, hoping over craters and stepping over bodies of slain Vartian and civilian alike. Mortars popped, spitting a few more rounds down range to keep the enemy ducking. Soon they would counter attack, better to die on the attack than to be driven into the water.