• Western Gaia - Sands of Tiban
    0360, Friday, 2010
    29* F
    Mission: Apocalypse Rising
    Captain Matt Boro
    3rd Gaian Infantry Division, 5th battalion, H Company, Bravo platoon, Alpha squad

    Slowly, Matt chose his steps through the barren city. His platoon was behind him as he picked his way through the destroyed street. Sighing, he thought of his girl back home. Tai... he groaned inside his head. Blinking, he shook his head and came back to realization of the war he was in. Looking around, he watched the windows of every building. Matt didn't pick this job, in fact, he only joined the military to can college money. He slowly gained ranks by doing things he didn't want to do. It sickened him to think about the men he killed, or the cities he had destroyed. Keeping his nerve, Matt moved forward a little more. Soon, they came upon a bunker in the middle of the road. More of a barricade to keep people from getting through. Funny thing was, it faced Matt's squad.

    "Looks like the 4th GID left us a present. Sorry, sir, command wants us to stay here and hold down the fort. Looks like our Fifth armor broke through enemy lines in the north. We will be getting reinforcements in forty-eight hours." said Matt's radio op, Jeff.

    "Roger that, tell them Bravo platoon will be sitting tight here. C company is holding in town. I just hope Major Holmes is right about this..." Matt replied. Not answering, Jeff ran off and spread the word to take up defensive positions. They took the day to build fortifications, put up wire and set up more barricades. Matt found a corner and set up his map. Studying it, he rubbed his eyes. "Alright, Jeff, your in charge. I am gonna take two hours shut eye. Wake me if anything changes." Matt said and laid upon his bedroll. Nodding his consent, Jeff watched the lines.

    It was mid afternoon before Matt heard tank treads coming through the town. Soon, barrel could be seen coming into view from behind a building. Matt's platoon began to whoop and cheer. It didn't take long for the rest of the tank to unearth itself. As quickly as it had started, the platoons joy died. Before them was an F-80, R model tank. The barrel moving to point at the platoon, Matt screamed "TAKE COVER! and an earth shaking blast was audible. Next came an explosion, and a building shuddered as a hole was blown in the top window. Taking cover, his platoon immediately returned fire. Grabbing Jeff, Matt pulled the radio out and pressed the receiver to his ear. "ECHO! ECHO! ECHO! This is Assassin 3-1 Actual. We need artillery cover,Fire for effect, over." he screamed.

    "Negative 3-1, we are under direct orders not to fire into a city. Sorry." came the reply. Cringing with anger, Matt slammed the radio down and jumped up, unloading his G36C into the enemy. Soon, infantry began to pour out of the buildings surrounding the tank. "God help us..." Matt heard Jeff say. The platoon opened fire and began a vicious fire fight for their lives. Emptying another clip, Matt heard a word that he wished he could never hear in his lifetime. "MEDIC!" someone called out. Sprinting to the location, Matt slid beside the wounded soldier. Quickly identifying that he had taken a bullet to the abdomen. Groaning, Matt pressed his hands against the wound and yelled directions, trying to fix it. After fighting the bullet for ten minutes, Matt felt the pulse on his man die out. Screaming with a curse, he heard more screams go up as a part of his barricade was blown away. Blinking back tears, his platoon had just lost five more men. 12 out of eighteen men were now combat effective. Going blind with anger, Matt jumped on top of a nearby piece of rubble, spraying his firearm into the enemy. Re loading as fast as he could, he quickly emptied his ammo. After having no ammo, he pulled out his side arm and fired it wildly. A bullet penetrated his leg, causing him to fall to one knee. Growling with anger, Matt watched the tank take six more of his men.

    Out of nowhere, the windows surrounding his platoon, on both sides sprayed deadly lead into the group of brave Gaians. Holding their ground, Matt felt another round go through his shoulder. Falling back, the remaining six Gaians grabbed him and pulled him back. Watching in slow motion, Matt watched his remaining six get mowed down in the most desperate fashions. One he saw throw his helmet and unload a full clip into the enemy, twice, before they killed him. Another threw an anti-tank mine in the middle of the thrash, killing countless enemy before he was gunned down. The last four, drug Matt inside of their makeshift HQ, barricading the doors. Blood poured out of Matt's wounds as he watched them move around with desperate actions. The radio buzzed with chatter as surrounding commanders screamed at them to report. Matt pulled the radio close and said into the mike "This is Captain Matt Boro...leader of Bravo platoon...we are under heavy fire, over three fourth of platoon KIA...positive Zero chance of survival." and with that, he tossed the mike away. Standing up, Matt leaned on the desk and looked at the four remaining soldiers. All of them looked at Matt with bleak feelings. "I am of no use if I go back..." Matt said and that was his last words as he drew an M4 from a dead body inside the HQ and leaned against the wall beside the barricade, setting a charge. Slowly his men fell in behind him, and they readied themselves. Soon the charge blew up and Matt and his makeshift squad darted out, firing randomly. A gaian was cut down when he passed the door, another tossed a grenade, the third one engaged in hand to hand combat before getting overwhelmed. Jeff jumped into the throng and disappeared before Matt saw a huge explosion and Jeff's body fly off. Matt cut and sliced with his knife, desperately trying to kill as many of them as he could. Taking a bulled to the abdomen, he doubled over then sprung up, killing the man who had shot him. Pulling the pin on a grenade, Matt's last thoughts were Please...forgive me....Tai...