Iragia
08-02-2007, 01:47
*Fort Troubedor, 7 kilometers outside Baker's Landing city limits, 20:47*
Brigadier Generals Franks, Miller, Valence, and army commander Lieutenant General Steeves sat at the map table in the shadow of a command variant of a BTR-50 armoured personnel carrier. Also with them were the officer's aides, and the commander of the nation's only tank battalion.
It was the fifth day of martial law following the bombings of parliament, the national police had taken to the streets, hundreds had been detained without warrant, most of them critics of President Douglas and his policies. Checkpoints were everywhere, and now pressure was coming down on the country's small, poorly maintained army as several officers and senior non-commisioned members had been arrested, or their families threatened.
Now the National Investigation Service, the defence department's civilian run internal security service was stepping up its work considerably, with 'advisors' being sent to all units to ensure they worked in tandem with the new policies being issued by the president's office.
The standing orders were for all army units to disperse across the country, and provide support under national police command.
"So, we're agreed then?" the Lt. Gen asked.
The collection of senior officers nodded gravely in response. The whole of the armed forces was about to commit treason and launch the country's fifth civil war in the last three decades. They hoped it would be the last one.
The nation's economy was plummeting, the president's attempts at privatization and an absolute free market had failed, quality of life plummeted, povery was spreading, hunger was becoming commonplace in the ever increasing ghettos. The gathered soldiers had all enlisted to serve their country. Since the last civil war, when the military had stood in opposition to Douglas' rise to power, they national police had been reinforced, the presidential guard built up with updated equipment and weapons, while the army was downsized and rusted away. They only commanded thirty thuousand troops, compared to the national police's seventy thousand, and two thousand presidential guard.
But the people were behind them, for the past few months they had established arms caches, and worked with resistance leaders to recruit and train a militia force.
The generals had hoped it would never come to this, but they knew what was happening, and that things would only grow worse to the point where they wouldn't be able to act.
Lieutenant General Steeves stepped up onto the hull of the BTR and looked out at the assembled troops, they knew what would happen.
"Soldiers of the Iragian army, for seven long years we have submitted to the rule of President Douglas. For seven long years we have stood by and watch out ranks grow thinner with each day. For seven long years we have watched our nation crumble, our people suffer, our cities rot before our very eyes. Our families grow hungrier, they cower in the dark, along, cold, and afraid while the so called police take to the streets. Well today, we say no more! We have stood by long enough, we have abandoned to serve and defend this country for long enough. Here today, we proclaim to the world that we will no longer abandon out duty and watch as this despot destroys us! Today, we rise! Rise for our nation! Rise for our freedom! Rise for the people! Today we rise to build a new nation, where all are equal, where no man, women, or child goes hungry! A new nation in which no one must live in fear of marauding gangs, or power hungry corporate tyrants who force our citizens to work as slaves in foreign owned factories! A new nation in which our wealth, our resources, our land go to our people, not sold off to build a bigger palace! Today, we will be victorious! Today is the revolution!"
With that the soldiers roared in response as they mounted onto their trucks, APCs, and the small contingent of T-55 tanks. The plan had already been discussed long before parliament was destroyed, it had been refined, and ever man and woman in uniform knew what their part in the operation would be. First, they would storm into the capital, drive out the national police and Presidential guard, and seize the president palace, and Douglas with it. The other forces in the country would make their way to the ghettos, engaging police forces as needed, and would liberate them from the police and gang oppression. From their, with militia forces at their back, they would move out to seize the key towns and work their way into the smaller settlements until the country was secure.
*Baker's Landing, police checkpoint, 21:13*
Dusk was coming in, in under and hour the curfew would be in effect, along with the shoot to kill order for all violators. A pair of police armoured cars with mounted machine guns stood guard over the intersection, while two squads of police officers armed with AK-74 carbines stood at the ready. A machine gun had been setup on the rooftop of the corner cafe, to provide extra firepower.
The shops had closed down, most people were in their homes by twenty one hundred to avoid the police's wrath. Lieutenant Johnson commanded the checkpoint. His uncle owned one of the major mining companies in the country, which worked under contract for foreign corporations that owned the actual mines, the company provided the workforce and ran the day to day operations at a rate cheaper than the owning corporation could. His position had therefore accelarated him through the ranks, and several dozen officers were now under his command, even though he was only twenty-two with a little over a year on the force.
He checked over his weapon again, then walked around the intersection, making small talk with his officers and seeing how they were. Most mumbled about being hungry, as they hadn't received their dinner yet, which was supposed to have arrived ten minutes before. Johnson grabbed the radio headset attached to the armoured car and tried to call the supply headquarters to see what was going on with the food, but received only static.
"With all the money we have, they couldn't give us decent radios," staff sergeant Mueller, the car commander, muttered as he gave a smack to the radio from his position out of the hatch.
The Lieutenant gave up, dropping the headset back onto its resting place and walking back out into the intersection when he heard the low rumbling noise. It was faint at first, but was growing steadily louder.
A few seconds later the collected officers started calling it out, as was standard procedure for anything they heard or saw. After another minute it was obvious it was coming from the east. Johnson peered down the road but couldn't see anything in the failing light. He took out his binoculars and fiddled with the focus until an object came into view.
It was hard to see at first, but grew larger and clearer as it approached. It was a tank. Mueller walked up beside him waiting his commander to tell him what it was.
"Tank, NIS finally got those sorry assed army boys to get moving," Johnson said as he passed the binoculars over.
The tank continued its approach, and as it neared the intersection the collected officers spotted the rest of its retinue, a pair of BTRs and a couple trucks. The officers gave a friendly wave to the approaching soldiers as they muttered insults amongst each other.
Johnson and Mueller started walking towards the tank once it was only a few dozen meters away from the intersection. The tank's commander was standing through the hatch, his arm resting comfortably on his machine gun. The tank was one of the older T-34s, the main line tank of the army, which wasn't saying much, as only 42 were in service.
As Johnson tried to say something, only to be drowned out by the engine's roar, the commander in a single swift movement lowered the machine gun and sprayed a burst of fire across Mueller and the Lieutenant. They were cut down instantly.
The tank's gun then fired, a 76mm round slamming in to the side of one of the armoured cars and rendering it inoperable as the HE round detonated and blew a large hole in the side, sending shrapnel coursing ricocheting through the insides and setting it on fire.
The officers scrambled to get behind cover but the troops in the open back BTRs opened fire gunnind down half of them. The rooftop machine gunner, off his gun and resting comfortably smoking a cigarette scrambled to get to his gun only to be hosed down with fire from the tank commander's machine gun. The other armoured car revved up its motor, tried to reverse and escape while the surviving officers returned fire but the tank's gun fired again, destroying the other car.
The BTRs sped into the intersection, their machine guns and troops spraying fire in all directions. More officers went down, and the rest dropped their weapons and surrendered realizing they would only be cut down if they continued.
The troops took their weapons and equipment, and lined them up on the street, kneeling. They had their hands on their heads and expected to be cuffed. The infantry commander looked back at the tank commander, who simply nodded.
"You have committed crimes against the people, for this, their is only one punishment," the infantry commander said solemnly as a group of soldiers lined up, lowered their weapons, and fired.
They stripped the dead for anything useful, weapons, ammo, maps, and other intel and then climbed back aboard their vehicles to continue their advance. The other advancing elements were reporting success, and the rushed forward to rejoin the brigade's attack on the capital.
Brigadier Generals Franks, Miller, Valence, and army commander Lieutenant General Steeves sat at the map table in the shadow of a command variant of a BTR-50 armoured personnel carrier. Also with them were the officer's aides, and the commander of the nation's only tank battalion.
It was the fifth day of martial law following the bombings of parliament, the national police had taken to the streets, hundreds had been detained without warrant, most of them critics of President Douglas and his policies. Checkpoints were everywhere, and now pressure was coming down on the country's small, poorly maintained army as several officers and senior non-commisioned members had been arrested, or their families threatened.
Now the National Investigation Service, the defence department's civilian run internal security service was stepping up its work considerably, with 'advisors' being sent to all units to ensure they worked in tandem with the new policies being issued by the president's office.
The standing orders were for all army units to disperse across the country, and provide support under national police command.
"So, we're agreed then?" the Lt. Gen asked.
The collection of senior officers nodded gravely in response. The whole of the armed forces was about to commit treason and launch the country's fifth civil war in the last three decades. They hoped it would be the last one.
The nation's economy was plummeting, the president's attempts at privatization and an absolute free market had failed, quality of life plummeted, povery was spreading, hunger was becoming commonplace in the ever increasing ghettos. The gathered soldiers had all enlisted to serve their country. Since the last civil war, when the military had stood in opposition to Douglas' rise to power, they national police had been reinforced, the presidential guard built up with updated equipment and weapons, while the army was downsized and rusted away. They only commanded thirty thuousand troops, compared to the national police's seventy thousand, and two thousand presidential guard.
But the people were behind them, for the past few months they had established arms caches, and worked with resistance leaders to recruit and train a militia force.
The generals had hoped it would never come to this, but they knew what was happening, and that things would only grow worse to the point where they wouldn't be able to act.
Lieutenant General Steeves stepped up onto the hull of the BTR and looked out at the assembled troops, they knew what would happen.
"Soldiers of the Iragian army, for seven long years we have submitted to the rule of President Douglas. For seven long years we have stood by and watch out ranks grow thinner with each day. For seven long years we have watched our nation crumble, our people suffer, our cities rot before our very eyes. Our families grow hungrier, they cower in the dark, along, cold, and afraid while the so called police take to the streets. Well today, we say no more! We have stood by long enough, we have abandoned to serve and defend this country for long enough. Here today, we proclaim to the world that we will no longer abandon out duty and watch as this despot destroys us! Today, we rise! Rise for our nation! Rise for our freedom! Rise for the people! Today we rise to build a new nation, where all are equal, where no man, women, or child goes hungry! A new nation in which no one must live in fear of marauding gangs, or power hungry corporate tyrants who force our citizens to work as slaves in foreign owned factories! A new nation in which our wealth, our resources, our land go to our people, not sold off to build a bigger palace! Today, we will be victorious! Today is the revolution!"
With that the soldiers roared in response as they mounted onto their trucks, APCs, and the small contingent of T-55 tanks. The plan had already been discussed long before parliament was destroyed, it had been refined, and ever man and woman in uniform knew what their part in the operation would be. First, they would storm into the capital, drive out the national police and Presidential guard, and seize the president palace, and Douglas with it. The other forces in the country would make their way to the ghettos, engaging police forces as needed, and would liberate them from the police and gang oppression. From their, with militia forces at their back, they would move out to seize the key towns and work their way into the smaller settlements until the country was secure.
*Baker's Landing, police checkpoint, 21:13*
Dusk was coming in, in under and hour the curfew would be in effect, along with the shoot to kill order for all violators. A pair of police armoured cars with mounted machine guns stood guard over the intersection, while two squads of police officers armed with AK-74 carbines stood at the ready. A machine gun had been setup on the rooftop of the corner cafe, to provide extra firepower.
The shops had closed down, most people were in their homes by twenty one hundred to avoid the police's wrath. Lieutenant Johnson commanded the checkpoint. His uncle owned one of the major mining companies in the country, which worked under contract for foreign corporations that owned the actual mines, the company provided the workforce and ran the day to day operations at a rate cheaper than the owning corporation could. His position had therefore accelarated him through the ranks, and several dozen officers were now under his command, even though he was only twenty-two with a little over a year on the force.
He checked over his weapon again, then walked around the intersection, making small talk with his officers and seeing how they were. Most mumbled about being hungry, as they hadn't received their dinner yet, which was supposed to have arrived ten minutes before. Johnson grabbed the radio headset attached to the armoured car and tried to call the supply headquarters to see what was going on with the food, but received only static.
"With all the money we have, they couldn't give us decent radios," staff sergeant Mueller, the car commander, muttered as he gave a smack to the radio from his position out of the hatch.
The Lieutenant gave up, dropping the headset back onto its resting place and walking back out into the intersection when he heard the low rumbling noise. It was faint at first, but was growing steadily louder.
A few seconds later the collected officers started calling it out, as was standard procedure for anything they heard or saw. After another minute it was obvious it was coming from the east. Johnson peered down the road but couldn't see anything in the failing light. He took out his binoculars and fiddled with the focus until an object came into view.
It was hard to see at first, but grew larger and clearer as it approached. It was a tank. Mueller walked up beside him waiting his commander to tell him what it was.
"Tank, NIS finally got those sorry assed army boys to get moving," Johnson said as he passed the binoculars over.
The tank continued its approach, and as it neared the intersection the collected officers spotted the rest of its retinue, a pair of BTRs and a couple trucks. The officers gave a friendly wave to the approaching soldiers as they muttered insults amongst each other.
Johnson and Mueller started walking towards the tank once it was only a few dozen meters away from the intersection. The tank's commander was standing through the hatch, his arm resting comfortably on his machine gun. The tank was one of the older T-34s, the main line tank of the army, which wasn't saying much, as only 42 were in service.
As Johnson tried to say something, only to be drowned out by the engine's roar, the commander in a single swift movement lowered the machine gun and sprayed a burst of fire across Mueller and the Lieutenant. They were cut down instantly.
The tank's gun then fired, a 76mm round slamming in to the side of one of the armoured cars and rendering it inoperable as the HE round detonated and blew a large hole in the side, sending shrapnel coursing ricocheting through the insides and setting it on fire.
The officers scrambled to get behind cover but the troops in the open back BTRs opened fire gunnind down half of them. The rooftop machine gunner, off his gun and resting comfortably smoking a cigarette scrambled to get to his gun only to be hosed down with fire from the tank commander's machine gun. The other armoured car revved up its motor, tried to reverse and escape while the surviving officers returned fire but the tank's gun fired again, destroying the other car.
The BTRs sped into the intersection, their machine guns and troops spraying fire in all directions. More officers went down, and the rest dropped their weapons and surrendered realizing they would only be cut down if they continued.
The troops took their weapons and equipment, and lined them up on the street, kneeling. They had their hands on their heads and expected to be cuffed. The infantry commander looked back at the tank commander, who simply nodded.
"You have committed crimes against the people, for this, their is only one punishment," the infantry commander said solemnly as a group of soldiers lined up, lowered their weapons, and fired.
They stripped the dead for anything useful, weapons, ammo, maps, and other intel and then climbed back aboard their vehicles to continue their advance. The other advancing elements were reporting success, and the rushed forward to rejoin the brigade's attack on the capital.