alertcommando | Just Another Day of War

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Just Another Day of War

The door takes them to the main area of a ruined church: pews and benches are missing, the altar is empty and dusty, ruined by time and weather. Outside a broken window nearby the sun is setting, a gorgeous orange ball at which they can look directly. That night, the wind would blow in to add another layer of dust to what had been burying the small dead city for the last three years.

The whitish dust lay over everything, covering the streets and the open spaces, starting the work of hiding the small houses that had been crushed and made into rubble by soviet artillery and their massive tanks.

It is quiet. Like a cemetery. "And here we are."

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She notes Hans' eyeing her, but does not place the reason why simply notes in the back of her mind that she might have to have a conversation with him at some point. But to the problem at hand, now that she is in company, Petra chooses her words very carefully, calling to mind exactly how the people spoke in Armenia from the short time she actually lived there.

"It is good to meet you." She looks both of the men square in the eye, her own hand resting at ease on her weapon of choice.

The camp's well hidden if you haven't got a sense of smell, maybe.

Ryan arches an eyebrow at Hans' mutter before glancing at Petra himself.

He has to trust that Tanya wouldn't have brought her if she wasn't qualified to be here.

Ryan merely nods at both of the men, watching for any other troops in the area.

Annabelle may be able to make out at least some of what Hans is muttering.

Annabelle returns Erik's nod, but keeps an eye out for trouble. Hopefully, Hans cause too many difficulties.

Hans is the one to answer that question: the others are, of course, in guard duty or helping the militia groups in other camps prepare. Everything is up to schedule, and they have six hours before they start moving out.

Tanya thanks the man for the update and turns to her companions. "Six hours. We can review maps, and recheck gear..."

"Ryan, you will be on the north side of the road, and will be firing fron the front of the convoy, some 300 yards away and 30 above. Annabelle will be on the south side, in a similar position, firing from the back. Petra will be south too, leading a squad of militia for mop-up. There will be five more squads, including RPG's. We know the plan, strike hard, strike fast, take everything we can and retreat before anyone else notices."

(OOC: I meant to type "will not cause too many difficulties". Alas, I have no ability to edit comments)

"Sounds good to me."

"Yes. Soon after which, I meet my squad?" Petra is being vary careful not to step on any toes. A military maneuver has one commander, and many sub commanders. But she is much more use to being the top dog, thus must work a bit harder to... not be.

It does not cross her mind that there might be objections based on her apparent age.

Tanya smiles to Petra. "Yes, I will take you there myself. They are good people, brave but not stupidly so."

Ryan doesn't mind staying back on the sidelines a bit this time around. It's a little bizarre to be surrounded by women on a combat mission. Definitely not something he's used to, but at least it's not awkward.

"Will we meet our spotters tonight, as well?"

"I was wondering that myself," Annabelle adds.

"Oh, yes. Hans, can you bring them here?" The man nods, and departs. Tanya gathers the Milliways people for a last revision of the plan:

- Explosives destroy the road behind and ahead of the truck convoy;

- Rocket Propelled Grenades destroy the armored troop carriers, or at least damage them a lot;

- Snipers disable the hummers and provide cover;

- Four groups of Militia assault the convoy and eliminate any remaining resistance.

After that, it is a matter of loot everything they can or want to take, destroy the rest and disappear. If all goes well, they will be back at Milliways in time for lunch.

Petra stands at the end of the meeting a smile on her face.

"I love when plans are simple..."

"Don't let your guard down," Ryan warns, giving the pup a look. "It's all too easy for something, or someone, to slip up and send everything pear-shaped."

And learning the hard way sucks.

Petra blinks at Ryan.

"This is not my first war." She has a sudden epiphany of the strange looks she has been getting since arriving here from Milliways.

"I suppose you know nothing about me... I was trained from age five in battle command, and at fourteen served as the first sub commander in the war against the buggers then for the last five years I have lead the armies of the Hegemon to reclaim peace for my world." Her voice is quiet and she speaks quickly to avoid allowing Hans or any other Tanya-era soldier. "I look young, but I have fourteen years of experience."

Annabelle nods at the explanation of the plan, and raises an eyebrow at Petra's explanation that she started training at 5. Her world's situation must have been unusual to allow for such a thing.
"Let's hope that things go mostly according to plan, at least."

That is what is epected.

Tanya will then arrange the final details: Annabelle and Ryan can meet up with their Spotters, both of whom do speak english well and had training for the job, and Petra will meet with her 'mop-up' squad.

It turns out the night over might be much necessary to work out finer details, but they should have time enough to relax and stretch out...

...or for hunting.

Annabelle isn't planning on going anywhere until morning, although she'll be asking her spotter about the weak points on Hummers.

With the powerful .338 magnun rounds, the young man recommends two shots on the engine, dead center of the front hood of the car. The third shot should be against the gunner operating the light machinegun the vehicle mounts.

Ryan listens politely as well and even has a go at the rations because he knows it isn't the best of ideas to wander off alone.

But the rations leave a lot to be desired for.

"North woods, you said? Any passwords I should know before heading out?"

Annabelle nods, and thanks the young man for his advice. She's wondering if she might be able to kill the engine in a single shot, but finding that out can wait until tomorrow.

If anyone seems amenable, Annabelle may end up telling slightly modified stories of her adventures until it's time to catch some sleep.

Annabelle's a light sleeper, especially when she's in a situation like this.

Petra stays just long enough to watch the demonstration, thank the young man and then hook up with her group.

Once again she faces strange looks and sighs inwardly. She asks them to enumerate their talents, encouraging the other group members to pitch in if one is overstating or understating their abilities. She then gives them their positions and explains their role in the fighting from a commanders position.

Tanya gives Ryan the pass-codes he needs to leave and return safely. The War seems to have gone well for wildlife, since deer are rather plentiful, making the quest for fresh meat an easy endeavor.

Annabelle will discover the bedrolls are very comfortable, considering how it is a temporary camp.

Petra finds out that past the initial shock, her unit listens closely, recognizing a skilled and confident commander. She has available a mix of close combat and long range, competent but rather basic guerrilla fighters who know to follow orders and able to keep their cool under fire.

We could be dramatic and say Ryan disappears into the night, but, really, he just walks north away from the camp and into the dark.

Which is how he ends up being the first one with blood on his uniform. At least the material's black so the stains don't show. He comes loping up out of the dark a few hours later, a misshapen silhouette. Once he's called out the pass-codes to the guards, they realize this is because he is carrying the majority of a deer over his shoulders, cleaned, with one leg missing.

What, you didn't think he could eat a whole one by himself, did you?

"Leftovers for whoever wants them," he says quietly so as not to wake the rest of the camp. That might be a speck of blood at the corner of his mouth, but it's hard to tell in this light. "I'm headed for my cot," he informs them as he sets the carcass down.

There's nothing like a good night's sleep after a big meal.

Petra happens to not see Ryan come in because she is finishing up with her group. They understood their orders and strategy, and had spent an hour-or-so getting-to-know one another. With what could only be called a cheerful farewell Petra waves the squad off to sleep, and makes her way to the edge of camp- a place where the light hit her back, but then began to fade.

She finds a dry spot and sits herself down, staring into the blackness to wait for the next day.

The bedroll is comfortable, but Annabelle never sleeps well in potentially hostile territory. She's up and awake well before she needs to be.

One hour before sunrise, they can take off. The road is not far, and the group has a half hour to set explosives, take up sniper positions, hide for the ambush...

And then, 'long' 15 minutes of wait until the convoy is seen approaching.

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