Wind Rider 2.0, Part 4

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They had driven toward the enemy for two hours until they came to a portion of the road that went through a cut made into a hill to make the road less steep. The cut was about half a mile long and had large trees growing along both sides. The first demolition charges were set to block the entrance to the cut, then other charges were set at fifty yard intervals. In between, claymore mines were set and a final set of demolition charges were set at the exit to the cut.

Duncan gathered all the troops around him as he sat on his G-wagons hood.

“Normally back home when we set an ambush like this, I would position dismounted troopers on both sides of the cut,” he said. “But we deal in smaller numbers of troops than what we will be facing today. If I did that today, there would be a very good chance of some or all of the dismounts to be captured or killed. There will come a time for that, but today is not that time. This is what we are going to do instead…”

All ten of the planetary vehicles were in line abreast facing the growing dust plumb approaching them from the distance. CT had found a way to patch his video feeds into their vehicles and they were seeing what he was seeing. Both the squadrons vehicles were positioned in front of the planetary ones and all of them were just sitting there waiting.

“Ok boss, we’ve been spotted,” CT said. He was monitoring the enemy’s radios. “They are deploying a hundred vehicles for us.”

“Oh my,” Duncan said. “Only a thousand troops and a hundred vehicles against our messily hundred and nine troops and twelve vehicles. Whatever will we do?”

“Alpha One to Recon One, wait until they reach five hundred yards then withdraw to the other side of the cut,” Duncan said.

CT confirmed what they had expected, the enemy was monitoring the planetary frequency. The attackers spread out into two lines abreast and accelerated. Duncan waited until they were almost at five hindered yards.

“Go now!” he said. “A and G to hold until the others are clear.”

The planetary vehicles reversed direction and sped toward the cut changing to a staggered formation of two abreast. The cut was only just wide enough for two vehicles to traverse side by side. Brett opened up with his roof mounted C-9 firing three round bursts. The chain gun on the Coyote doing the same and slow single shots coming from the turret mounted twenty millimeter cannon. The front rank of the approaching enemy was wiped out.

“Go! Go now!” Duncan yelled into the mike. The Coyote already facing toward the cut, took off. A few seconds later so did the G-Waggon. As soon as they cleared the cut they went to the left side out of sight. The Coyote kept going, chasing the dust cloud in front of it.

The enemy came roaring into the cut two abreast and the front two accelerated as they neared the end and saw the Coyote disappearing down the road. That’s when Duncan hit the button detonating the charge at the exit. The trees fell right across the road as planned, completely blocking it and both vehicles crashed heavily into them. The next two rows of vehicles slammed into the ones in front, before they could stop. Now Duncan blew the trees in the entrance blocking anyway out. Then he systematically blew all the charges and the claymore mines the whole length of the cut.

It would take hours to get to the soldiers who had survived and more hours to clear the mess. But that was not all. Duncan had rigged other charges to blow later. It would be days before the track was clear. And the track was the only way through this ridge for hundreds of miles in both directions. If the enemy cleared the cut or found a way around the ridge, it wouldn’t matter. They had just bought themselves at least two days.

That night, they were camped just outside their next ambush site. This time the road narrowed because of large trees. Unlike the last time. They would be nowhere near the ambush site when the mines went off. They would be triggered by a trip wire low enough to catch the leading vehicle, but high enough so that an animal would not trigger it. Once the first charges went off blocking the trees, the others would go off right behind it.

They took their time setting the charges showing the new soldiers how to do it first, then supervising them setting the last ones. Even so, they had a days rest before the large dust plumb in the distance told them the enemy was coming. Then they leisurely boarded their vehicles and drove through the trees, Duncan stopping long enough to string the trip wire, before he followed the other vehicles into the distance. When the mines went off, they were to far to be seen, but they could still be heard.

They continued toward the next district. Sometimes they would stop and bury a mine, or two, in the road. This they did at varying intervals. Sometimes close together, sometimes a day apart. With the little bird overhead all day every day, it was easy to see the progress the enemy was making and Duncan planted mines indiscriminately in a field they knew the enemy was going to use as a camp spot. They planted all the mines they had left and then they drove hard for the rendezvous point at the edge of the third district.

The ruler, the male commander, the Guildsman with another man, Jane and Karen were waiting for them when they came into the camp. Their vehicles were dusty, dirty and battered. As were the people in them. They had been in constant motion for over a week now. Duncan looked around him and saw lines and lines of people working with sword and shield. Shield walls with spears bristling advancing and withdrawing. Wooden swords, headless spears and wooden long handled axes dueling with each other.

On the other side of the camp, ten vehicles charged one hundred mock up vehicles, just shy of two hundred yards away, smoke grenades were fired to land obscuring them fifty yards ahead. Once the vehicles reached the smoke, the ramps went down and ten soldiers from each vehicle sprinted down the ramps and into the smoke. All ten soldiers would fire at the targets as they hit the edge of the smoke, then five ran forward ten yards flung themselves on the ground and fired while the other five sprinted by them to do the same thing.

Duncan formed his people up. His troopers mixed with the soldiers, he and Katerina out front. Called them to attention and saluted. All of the soldiers making the same salute the Canadians made. They stayed that way. Jane leaned over and spoke into the rulers ear. She turned red and brought her right arm fist clenched to her chest in a return salute. Then Duncan had the formation assume parade rest. Trailed by Katerina he marched up to within a yard of the ruler, raised his right foot to his belt and stomped it down hard saluting as he did so.

“Mam! Training Squadron A, all present and accounted for! Mam!”

Once again the ruler returned the salute, then looked at Jane, who once again whispered into her ear.

“I would inspect my troops Warrant,” she said.

“Yes Mam!” Duncan said. “It would be an honour Mam!”

Then striding one step behind her, he escorted her down the line of troopers. Jane only prompted her the first time, to stop and speak to a soldier. Then she stopped on her own from time to time. As usual. The diminutive Dianne was singled out. She performed the same belt high foot stomp and salute Duncan had when she was addressed. Then the inspection was over and Duncan escorted her back to her entourage. Called his people together and dismissed them.

“It’s your turn to cook tonight Duncan,” Carol called out as they walked away. “Steak, medium rare, baked potato and refried beans.”

“Hell that’s all he knows how to cook anyway,” Scott said.

“You’ve done a good job here Colonel, Commander,” Duncan said. “Those soldiers are looking good.”

“My people are highly motivated,” the ruler said. “Plus, they have excellent teachers. I suppose we can expect the onslaught a few days from now?”

“I shouldn’t think so,” Duncan said. “Two days ago they had not reached the center of the first district. They seem to be encountering severe resistance along the way.”

“Yahoo!” CT could be heard yelling from inside his Coyote.

“If I am not mistaken, the enemy has just found some more heavy resistance.”

“Holy shit Dunc!” CT said pocking his head out of the turret hatch. “That was brilliant! They pulled off right where you said they would to camp. Twenty vehicles and occupants, poof gone. Two of them high ranking command and control vehicles. Plus another twenty or thirty severely damaged by the secondary blasts. I taped it. You have to see this.”

“Maybe later CT,” Duncan said. “Get me a copy so we can show the Ruler in somewhat better surroundings.”

“Oh no problem Master Warrant,” Katerina said. “We can show it to everyone now. CT, beam the tape to my vehicle please.”

Katerina hit a few buttons on her wrist console and the air shimmered around her vehicle briefly before a life sized holographic image of what had happened began to play out. Vehicles were deploying to each side of the road and troopers were beginning to come out of them when the first vehicle hit the first mine exploding it in cloud of fire and spraying ceramic. Then another and another. All that was missing was the sound and the vibration.

“Wow,” CT said. “It looks even better on that deal.”

“Wow indeed,” said the man with the Guildsman. “I take it you have been doing that type of thing for the last two weeks?”

Duncan just looked at the man.

“Oh excuse me Mr. Kovaks,” the Guildsman said. “This is my boss. Actually The boss.”

“Yes sir we have,” Duncan said. “Does the Guild have a problem with this?”

“No, not at all,” the Boss said. “You have done much better than we anticipated. All of us, myself included, thought that when you arrived we would be involved in a last ditch defence.”

“Master Warrant Kovaks,” the ruler said. “We have something of import and sensitivity to discuss. Would you mind? We will not keep you long. Katerina, you come along.”

They moved a short distance away, where a large tent was set up and entered. The interior was plush and had all the comforts of home. The ruler sat down on a plush chair and motioned the others to sit. The plush chairs were arranged in a circle and servants quickly came with pitchers and glasses of pale coloured drinks for everyone, then left.

“Your health,” the ruler said lifting her glass and they all took a taste.

“Nice beer,” Duncan said. “Much better than ours.”

The ruler smiled at him and nodded her head.

“To business, then we can talk after,” she said.

“An offer for a cease fire, truce and peace has come in,” The boss said. “We have to present it and can offer no advice or opinions on it.”

He laid a piece of paper on the table in front of the ruler. She looked at Duncan and raised her eyebrows.

“Why bother?” Duncan said. “They broke the last peace deal your husband signed with them. Then mislead us as to the reasons for the last cease fire and truce. We are hurting them, and they want to regroup, rearm, get more troops and hit us again. I say no.”

“What would you have us do?” the ruler asked.

“Stay the course,” Duncan said. “We have just hurt them, not defeated them. Once we draw them into a pitched battle, we will hit them hard and hurt them badly. Then we will destroy them. While they were negotiating with the Guildsman, among themselves they were planning to kill us without mercy. They had accepted our offer for them to keep what they had gained. At the official signing they planned to kill you mam and all the rest of us.”

“That is not true,” the Guildsman said. “That is not what I heard them say.”

“But you do not understand the other language they were speaking do you. I do though.”

“Were they speaking this tongue,” the Boss said in French.

“Yes,” Duncan replied. “I have a recording of the meeting if you wish to hear.”

Duncan told CT to play the recording and he turned his volume up so everyone could hear it. As the enemy commander hit the description of the worst of the atrocities he was going to commit, Katerina’s breath took a sharp intake and the Ruler’s face went first pale and then deep red, her fists curled and her arms began to shake. And when the commander of the mercenaries added a few of his own and both men laughed, the Boss’s eyes narrowed. Duncan cut the transmission at that point.

The ruler extended her right arm and shaking in rage, she pointed at the unopened document on the table.

“Get that thing out of my sight,” she said. Her voice was quivering with pent up emotions.

“I will personally deliver your response,” The Boss said as he stood and gathered up the document. “I must remind you Madam, that the Guild is prohibited from intervening for one belligerent over another. However, the Guild can and will intervene against any Guild member that exhibits this kind of behavior, when the Guild finds that said Guild member shall overcome his opponents.”

“Mr. Kovaks, Madam Horshack, good day.” Then he, followed by the Guildsman left the tent.

“Sitting in the bush eh?” Duncan said to Katerina in French.

“Yes Mr. Kovaks,” Madam Horshack said also in French. “My niece was as you say sitting in the Bush.”

“All aristocrats here are given intense instruction in all the classical languages,” she continued in Ukrainian. “Just as you were sitting in the bush, so to was my niece. This as you know was prudent until we knew where you stood.”

“Unfortunately for us,” she said now in English. “All our male aristocrats over the age of fifteen and many of our women, perished along with my husband, two oldest sons and all of Katerina’s family and siblings. All that is left of my family are my two youngest sons, one twelve the other ten, myself and Katerina. Unfortunately, Katerina must serve in the army. We must have a family presence and I can hardly be risked and my sons are to young.”

“I understand Madam Horshack,” Duncan said. “Commander Horshack, you and your people will have the next two days off. Relax, rest, have some fun, because after those two days, the real work begins. Ninety of you people, will now train ten of your best soldiers each in what you have learned. Your people will have two weeks, three at best to do that. You and seven of your best will join me three days from now at dawn, where you will put into use what we have trained you to do. Madam, Commander, Good day.”

Duncan and Jane stood and left the tent.

“Can you hold them for two weeks Duncan?” Jane asked.

“Oh, we have slowed them considerably already,” Duncan said. “They will be much more cautious now, especially after what happened today. We planted a few more delayed surprises for them along the way as well. It won’t be until five days until they hit the border to sector two. I’ll give them a couple of days then begin stage two. I think I can delay them about a month. But..”

“Yes I know,” Jane said. “Hope for the best prepare for the worst. Two of their vehicles will be ready for you when you leave. They are fully prepared. Also, we will be swapping yours out for the new ones, they just came in a couple of days ago. The weapons and all systems checked out.”

“Ok, load double loads of everything including spare barrels for the automatic weapons,” Duncan said.

“I think it would me more prudent to establish a cache for you instead Master Warrant,” Jane said. “It won’t compromise your mobility that way.”

“Good idea Colonel,” Duncan said. “Now, I need a shower, some new clothing and my wife, not necessarily in that order.”

Karen walked in on him and joined him in the shower.

It was a dark night their last night in camp. Duncan and Karen sat snuggled up together looking at the camp fire. All of A and B troops were with them, as were Jane, Barb, Megan, Bob and Dave. There was some light hearted talking going on, but Duncan was quiet. He was under no illusion of the enormity of the task ahead of them. Nor were the older hands. They had all been on missions like this before or in Jane, Dave and Barb’s case, had observed them. Only Dianne’s B troop, Carol and Megan were joking around.

“Do not be alarmed,” Madam Horshack said as she and Katerina approached the fire. “We come in peace and come bearing gifts.”

Both women were smiling and had two large boxes stacked on their arms, which they placed by the fire. They opened two of the boxes and began handing out bottles of beer to the delight of everyone around the fire pit.

“Now Katerina tells me you have some truly high quality Washka you have been hiding from us,” Madam Horshak said.

Duncan reached under his chair and pulled out a bottle he had stashed there.

“Mam,” he said preferring the bottle to her with one hand and a coffee cup with the other.

She just took the bottle, spun the lid off to fall in the dirt and took a deep pull right from the bottle.

“Oh heaven in a bottle!” she coughed out. “Tonight I am Tanya and you are Duncan. There is no Madam Horshack tonight.”

“Well Tanya,” Duncan said. “If you don’t have a good story to go along with the good beer, you still can’t stay and drink with us.”

Tanya started right in with an embarrassing story about Katerina and a boy, which had everyone howling by the end. Then Katerina told one about her aunt and the party was downhill after that. After a while Duncan went silent again. He responded when he was addressed and laughed along with the rest, but mostly he sat looking at the fire. He didn’t notice Tanya watching him from across the fire. She too had gone quiet.

“Come Katia, tomorrow comes early,” Tanya said. “I have it on good authority that the leader of this group takes a dim view of late and hung over troopers.”

That enlisted more comments at Katerina’s expense, Brett getting up and mimicking Katerina’s movements the last time she had overindulged. Tanya got Duncan’s attention and motioned her head to the side and both of them moved out of earshot.

“Can we win Duncan?” she asked.

“It will be a near thing,” Duncan said. “It has been done before and I am using those tactics. Many of your people and mine may die. But yes, I think we can win.”

Tanya stood looking at the ground for a minute and when she looked up, tears were staining her cheeks.

“Please bring her back to me Duncan,” she whispered. “I love her dearly.”

“I can’t guarantee that Tanya,” Duncan said. “She is very good at what she does and we all need her to do her job. When we put on these uniforms we are dead men walking. We all know that. If God wills it, we survive, if not…Well we have a saying Tanya. It’s always a good day to die.”

Footsteps coming their way told of Katarina and Karen joining them. Tanya quickly rubbed the tears from her eyes and cheeks and laughed as if Duncan had just cracked a joke.

“Oh if you were not already taken I would be all over you Duncan,” she said. “Karen you had best keep your eye on this one. Come Katerina we must go to bed now.”

After a few steps she turned around and watched Duncan and Karen walk away. He with his arm around her shoulders and she with her head on his and her heart skipped a beat and the tears began to flow again as she remembered her lost husband.