The Tao of rachel dahan

Chapter 2

My bent knee was getting soggy in the moist earth, earth that would be soon be rendered a battlefield once the late enemy arrived and would most likely be a graveyard before they left. Through the golden shade of my helmet lens, I searched for Rachel Dahan hoping she would provide yet another diversion to the steady thumping of my heart. I did not have to search for too long. She was standing right in the centre of the second line. My spirit was forcibly raised at her sight, a soldier could not help but be inspired by the willingness of a commander to be amongst her troops in battle. If the worst came to the worst, perhaps I would be able to look upon her as I died.
As I knelt, with no sense of patience for the enemy, my fingers didn't rustle inside my dark gun gloves as they were of the other warlike men and women around me. They seemed eager and hungry for the fight and would no doubt be looking to make Dahan proud with their wanton valour. I could just hear the distant thrum of heavy marching feet that rumbled below the high bank we had positioned ourselves upon. I was tense but not with any eagerness for the horde to come cutting through the damp morning mist before me. I sensed the anticipation in Ishea though as she rustled about in her armour. Her usual soft fresh scent was nullified somewhat by a rich minty smell of the dank meadow. She stood as close as she promised she would, leading me to suspect she hadn't been too convinced at my claim of not being frightened. That wasn't surprising, I couldn't even convince myself.
Our company was assembled in six neat rows, thirty troops per row, with every line knelt down in front of the one behind. I was well aware of the system and had practised it many times on this campaign. The first two lines would empty their cartridges and race to the back and reload while the fully armed next row took over, ensuring a constant and heavy stream of fire. It seemed a reasonable enough strategy as long as the numbers of the enemy weren't such that they were able to overrun us. In which case we had been ordered to step out of formation and encircle, perhaps switching to the long crude looking blades that could be vented out of the bottom of our gun barrels with the mere flick of a switch. I had been placed in the third row which was as good as I could have hoped. I wouldn't start the killing but I wouldn't be overly anxious about joining it either.
My shoulders complained of their extra load and I obligingly rolled them within the cumbersome rather than heavy body armour. It rustled awkwardly and its protective bulk soon turned against me, the shoulder plates scraping both sides of my face as I completed the roll. The wounds sung in the chilled air and felt heavy and damp upon my cheeks. The armour was made of a coarse kind of reinforced plastic, originally designed to deflect laser blasts. There would be no weapons of such a nature here but it was the best protection we had at our disposal, I silently promised it a firm kick if it proved useless on the day. We ourselves had none of the highly advanced laser rifles and had been reduced to lead bullets in our guns. It was only a small comfort to know that the enemy would be fortunate to wield even that. Taking the thought into more serious consideration and deflecting the attention hungry stinging, I wondered what indeed the horde would come at us with. All I knew for sure was that we were to be badly outnumbered. Commander Dahan's short and final battle speech told us not to fear that fact and that in previous encounters with such an enemy, superior firepower had more than made up for numbers. "We have more bullets than they have bodies. She had said. Her theory being that should we mostly fire true, a safe victory should be ours in less than a few hours of fighting.
"How do you feel? Ishea whispered. I certainly did not want to tell her the truth. She would be able to tell just fine if she looked down at my quivering trigger hand. I considered clearing my dry throat before answering but I managed to choke out a clear, "I'm fine, back to her.
"Good, cause your shaking. She teased, crueller than she would have meant. Nether the less I would be happy if it was only my pride that got wounded today.
"It's cold. I complained back at her bringing a degrading look from a frosty looking grunt standing directly in front of me. Ishea actually smaned at my uncomfortableness, making me envy her courage even more.
"Eye's front! Commander Dahan's strong, husky voice barked from the centre, hastily whirling the sneering soldier back around. I wondered if Dahan perhaps remembered me from all those years ago back in the Old Land, it seemed she was intent on still holding that watchful eye of hers about me. At least I chose to take it that way.
I checked for the eighth time the digital bullet reading of my rifle. Its bright red panel once again assured me it was good for one hundred and fifty rounds. Perhaps that was what was making the chunky grey weapon so heavy. I glanced up and down my line feeling inadequate to the sturdy grips of my fellow soldiers. Even Ishea, who was certainly of slimmer build than me, wavered only between long intervals. Yet my arms were getting sorer by the moment, if we had to wait any longer my fatigued limbs might only manage a few toe shots! Just as I pondered this latest trivial grievance, there came the roar.

It must have been Commander Dahan's sense of military fairplay that allowed the enemy to fully climb the hill we had positioned ourselves upon. At this moment, I had no such desire to give an inch of ground and wanted to start rolling grenades down the rich, green embankment as soon as they began to surge up it. Instead, I had to listen to the pounding of countless feet storming up towards me as I awaited a fearful visual. With a defiant shriek, the first of the enemy reared into view. As expected they came in no particular order, just thankfully huddled together as they swarmed up the hill. The horde certainly looked the part. Many rough and tangled beards stood proudly on display as if it were some symbol of valour. If it wasn't for the remarkable stock in their torsos the clothes the guarded them would have made reason to break out in laughter. Such an assortment of patterns and colours I had never seen. I guessed they must have stripped every human bone they had ever come across, as this sort of attire was throwback to a forgotten way of life from the old world, where such detail to clothing was considered a way of life for some. As the raga bone army came to abrupt halt about a hundred yards from our stalwart position, a giant of a man stepped forward with only one other. I squinted my eyes to make out the symbols on the vest top he had chosen to brave the cold in but he was a little far off. For a moment I allowed a glimmer of hope to build as I fantasised the possibility of surrender on the enemies part, but deeper in my heart I knew that to reach this point all negotiations would have long since failed. The giant came to a standstill about halfway between us and his own troops. I heard the faint thud of his antiquated rifle butt as he mashed it into the soft turf and waited, with his distinctly shorter second at his right side. I must have felt the weight of her stare, for my gaze was quickly upon my commander who sent a ripple of shock down my spine as she gestured me to come to her. In blind obedience I started towards her, inadvertently bashing straight into Ishea in my bewilderment who mercifully straightened me up and caught my falling weapon. I would stumble over two other pairs of feet before I made it to her side and together we strode through the swiftly parted front lines to meet our challengers. I had no earthly reason why I was sharing this dubious honour with Rachel Dahan but I didn't hanker on the thought much, all that was screaming in my head was to walk straight and firm and try to at least look a worthy lieutenant for her.
As we neared, the symbols on the giant's burgundy top became clearer. I was first drawn to a circular emblem on the right hand breast, where an ancient warriors dark skinned features looked away from me with some pride about it, sporting two white feathers in his raven like hair. Underneath it and covering a fair share of the rest of the top was the blazing white numbers '44'. I realised I was staring with some affection until my gaze rose into the owners menacing blue eyes. My sight quickly drooped to the somewhat lesser threat issued by the giant's second, a tubby auburn haired man. I felt quickly ashamed that I hadn't managed to deflect any of the attention away from where their true danger lie, in Commander Rachel Dahan.
"I didn't want it to be you Dahan. The giant's grim voice rumbled. His face seemed to show genuine regret.
"It is how it is Mr Malone. I urge you again to surrender. Rachel's own voice sounded clear and confident. I shuddered at the name, having heard it many times these past three years. I couldn't think for the life of me why Dahan would want me in his presence.
"You know I'll not give up this fight, Dahan. But I'll to fight any other Commander in your place.
I noticed a knowing look form on Rachel's stern features. "You mean any Commander that is Captain Deakin?
Malone's pale blue eyes flared at her words. I'd of course known of Deakin but had not yet served under him, rarely soldiers of my lowly rank ever could, unless it was for bullet fodder.
"You're fighting me Mr Malone. Take it, or lay down what arms you have and come back with me in peace.
"Peace! Malone roared. "Deakin stole the peace from me when he snatched the dying breath out of my wife and my brother!
Rachel remained unmoved by the rant. "I know the history. And if you had mine you'd soon learn to live with even more loss.
Malone seemed to regain his composure and his mighty looking fists unclenched and became lax at his sides.
"Then maybe you'd be more at home amongst us?
Rachel's face couldn't have flinched more had Malone struck her in the mouth. Her cheeks raced with colour and her chest rose high to catch a breath. "My terms remain. Give up this rebellion and accept Milford's rule.
Malone was smart enough to see he had touched upon something deep in Dahan's pride. A sly grin etched itself upon his cracked lips. He could still save his forces from battle and take an offer of peace or with another well placed offence could drive the woman past any of her mercies. His grin bore only defiance.
"Give up and become another Milford's lapdogs? I would rather sleep in as many nights I have left.
"Then there wont be many more for you Mr Malone! Rachel growled as she spun around to face our troops. "Prepare for battle! She roared out to them. I quickly turned with her to a pulsating battle cry.
"Thank you, Haddon. Rachel's urgent voice sounded over the rapture. "Take your position.
"Yes Ma'am. I replied my voice tangling in my rapidly drying throat as I hurried back into line.
The horde didn't wait for me. The skin on my back prickled against my shirt as the bellow of their advance tried to drown us out. But it was the explosion of rifles that overwhelmed the cries of both sides.
I spotted Ishea and she beckoned me on, nudging along the soldiers who had taken my place.
"No chance of a surrender huh? She yelled over the racket as I squeezed back in.
"Does it sound like it? I said with some fluster. My knee sank back snugly into the dent it had made before, but my rifle felt less than comfortable as I took an unsteady aim. I could feel a nervous charge fizzing in my veins causing my whole body to quiver. I licked my lips feverishly trying to get some moisture back into my mouth. The roar of the rifles seemed to reverberate inside my helmet and soon felt trapped between my ears. War was finally upon me and it was all I could do just to keep breathing.
Through the slim cracks between the front two lines, I saw the canter of dozens brutally cut short by a hail of bullets. I had never in my life heard a grown man scream, yet the wails of the fearsome charging warriors as they died overwhelmed even the thunder of gunfire. For a moment my fear was not for myself but for the enemy who were being slaughtered like cattle before me. And I feared that soon I would become their doom myself as the front line's ammo couldn't last forever. Instantly with that thought, the dread for my own skin returned with a vengeance. From my former view of the horde they outnumbered us at least five to one. The first rush was bound to fall fast yet they were still charging and it had to be only a matter of time before enough lay dead to give cover to the rest. I felt a nudge at my shoulder and saw Ishea nod at me, checking to see if my nerve was holding. I returned the gesture and looked sharp again, cursing myself for not checking on her first.
All too quickly the first lines broke and sprinted to the sides leaving me with a daunting clear view of the stampeding enemy. I cursed my fine sight as the fury in their faces poured out across the field as they jumped and stumbled across the mounting pile of their own dead, hauling themselves forward towards me. I imagined the countless thousands of soldiers who had faced their first war and prayed that their resolve had been tested as much as mine. There was no choice now. I would fight and I would kill and I would do it now!
My rifle erupted even before I gave it conscious permission. I could barely bring myself to watch the bullets land. Even above the noise I heard Dahan shout, ordering those who knelt to aim low at the enemy who were just beginning to take the cover I had anticipated. The weapon I held felt much more eager to obey than I did and it scoured the corpses for any signs of life behind it. I watched, transfixed, as our bullets splintered flesh and bone alike. Bodies were hurled through the air back at the advancing enemy. Soon the forerunners were covered in the blood and entrails of their comrades, only for themselves to fall soon after and their own flesh to be spurted back at the horde. In their dozens they dropped, most jack-knifed over as the lead tore through their guts. The runners fell awkwardly onto their heads and most stayed like that until bustled over by still eager comrades.
Suddenly the advance faltered and ground to an abrupt halt. I had seen the reaction in fighters when they took a harder shot than they could deal with. I'd heard it called the 'Killing Time', a moment, when recognised, can spur one combatant to victory. But on this much wider scale, the sight was enthralling.
"Back lines, forward! Dahan yelled. She had sensed the killing time herself. I imagined she had seen it many times, in combat of all scales and her awareness was ruthlessly tuned.
In seconds the rate of fire increased tenfold. The horde stopped coming forward and were just dying on the spot. There was not even time for them to attempt cover. The reviled sight bought my conscience back in control of my weapon. With more careful aim I tattered the blood muddy knoll in front of them, whipping up a storm of dirt rather than flesh. The others around me were more than enough for the massacre and my soul lacked the desire join them. I glanced with tear stained eyes down my line. The intent and grit of the other soldiers began to sicken me. All up the line the rifles drove death toward the hapless rabble, all except one who's silence was some how mightier than all the other blasts put together. It was the rifle of Rachel Dahan and she was staring straight back at me.