When the dawn breaks, the cries of roosters are followed by a thunderous explosion heard across the front. Everyone rises up as if a thousand alarm clocks go off simultaneously. A hail of imperial steels is upon them. Their sheer intensity causes the earth to quake. It would appear as natural had the shells fragments in silence. The Proxies scurry to whatever cover they could find. They cower and hope that the empress’ wrath doesn’t come for them.
The shelling proceeds for hours into the day.
Fort had forwarded Hassle’s findings. But the order remains, hold the ground. It causes bickering among detachment commanders. Command’s staffs are struggling to maintain order. The reinforcement rate isn’t enough to plug the gap. Even the Thorns targets any unit en route to Patih Tread.
Caitlyn watches the shelling unfolds in awe. She feels grateful that she isn’t the one tasked to hold the town. Fort has been broadcasting the situation to Caution’s channel since the first shell hit. The telves grind the defensive positions along the town one by one. No meaningful resistance was given so far. They’ve tried counter-battery fire but the barrage isn’t ending. Worse, it allows the Thorns to neutralize all friendly artillery. Only Kiraly’s Concaves remain across the Patih Tread’s contact line.
Everyone knows that they have to pull back. Although the fortifications around Patih Tread and the D230 highway is too elaborate to be abandoned, there won’t be any defences nor people to man them if they remain. The telves isn’t likely to storm the place anytime soon. They will keep shelling them until it’s safe to advance. The destruction of the field combat group is imminent. But withdrawal will upset The Primus.
Caitlyn struggles to keep her cool. Every news of destroyed defenses is disheartening. She watches through the env-screen how the barricades, gabions, and outposts which the Proxies have strived to build for the past couple of days gone in hours. After eight years of attrition war, the telves are still able to screw them up. The empire is still a force to be reckoned with. She leers at Genesis. She doesn’t seem to be afraid. She just has an impassive looks on her face. But of course, she can’t die as far as Caitlyn is aware of.
“Something worries you, sweetheart?”
Caitlyn glances at the env-screen.
“The empress is furious.”
She is a woman too after all. Like her, like Gloria. Only with more power and of noble origin. Caitlyn re-imagines Gloria when she was playing her hands at her. Only now, she substitutes her for the empress. She doesn’t know how she looks like, so it’s just Gloria wearing a royal garment. And she is distances away while staring down at Caitlyn. Her face is gracefully indifferent. She doesn’t scream in a ferocious wrath. Her guns do it for her, her 203mm guns. And only dead Proxies can satisfy them.
“The Primus has been doing this since the time of her grandmother. I’d be mad too.”
“Isn’t it the empress that started this war?”
“Not Livia Tribhuwana, but Sylvana Tribhuwana.”
Caitlyn shrugs. “Still.”
“But do you know why she ordered the raid across the borders?”
“Huh?”
“The Primus had turned non-aligned countries on the outskirts of the empire sympathetic to his cause. I have no idea how. Consequently, he set up military presence across those nations. Some even seen the establishment of state’s defense factory. Weapons, ammunitions, vehicles, and Androids. If you’re sitting on the empire’s throne room, you’ll see that your realm is being threatened. You don’t deserve to be on that room if you don’t see it. Tribhuwana II was showing The Primus their willingness to use their might to protect the realm.”
“Aren’t they the one that poked him first? They sent missionaries to bordering states to gain more followers.”
“There’s more to it and I’d love to argue. But, I won’t. Look sweetheart, we can talk about this forever and nothing will change.”
“You’re into politics, aren’t you?”
“Not really. Just overheard some boys’ chatter in a bunker at three in the morning once. They were at it for bloody hours, only stopping when their officer walked in.”
“So, you weren’t joking when we can talk about it forever.”
“How about you, blonde?”
PT startles Genesis. The maid was resting her head on her hand. She jumped when the tank calls her.
“What?”
“What do you think about the source of the conflict?” Caitlyn strings the question.
“Oh…uh…” Genesis rubs her chin as she ponders. “We just hate each other. Full-stop.”
Caitlyn raises an eyebrow. “U-huh.”
“You’re actually stating something, right blonde?” PT asks.
“I mean I hate them. How could I not? They took my home.” Genesis shrugs. “And my dad.”
“Not a sound statement, but one-hundred for honesty.” PT comments.
Caitlyn glances at the env-screen in front of her. The shelling is still underway. “The telves are well-versed in technology just as us. Are we really fighting to protect technological ingenuity so that it prevails and advance humanity?”
Silence.
“You see, The Primus sees the telves as a threat. And no telve could threaten the state if there are no telves around. That’s all I know.”
“Do you condone his actions?”
“Can’t blame him. Guy probably had an unfortunate day once that had led him down this path.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“Can’t answer that proper, sweetheart. It depends on how you look at it.”
Caitlyn nods. She wonders what sort of misfortune that had befell him? What urged him to deem the Terran Vindicators an enemy that has to be eradicated? What if a similar misfortune falls on her? Will she trail the same path? She wants to believe that she wouldn’t. She had that day but she didn’t cause millions of deaths. Technically she did cause some deaths. But she still has no intention to murder-spree an entire nation because she was abused by her sister.
Caitlyn takes a deep breath and clasps her hands. “Whatever happened to him had happened. Let’s just…do our best to prevent anyone from following his path when this is over.”
“I’ll leave that to you. I’m staying here. You know, just in case you failed to do that.” The interface screen shows a winking emoji.
Genesis chuckles. “Smooth.”
Patih Tread becomes rubble by evening. The shelling stops for the first time. The telves turn all the houses and fine places the town had into piles of stones and dust. The iconic statue at the town’s center is also part of the Thorns’ kill count. Survivors are left with barely any cover. The Proxies scrap whatever remains of their fortifications and erect new ones. It isn’t as sturdy as before. A couple grenades could undo it with ease.
Reinforcements eventually stops flowing into the town. Genesis says that the quartermaster is holding them back. She won’t have them enter the town and feed them to the Thorns.
“Captain Fort.” A voice comes through Caution’s channel. A voice that Caitlyn isn’t familiar with. “The Vindicators are attacking. Hand your troops over, we need them here.”
Caitlyn grips her left hand, she put it on her chest where her pendant is hanging. She grabs it and slips it beneath her coat. She readies herself in case Fort decides to send her forward.
“That’s a negative, sir.”
“Fort, I repeat. You and your troops are needed her-”
The transmission is cut.
All units are breaking. Hundreds of men flee from the objective one by one. The commissars can’t stop them. Some of them ends up at Fort’s bunker. They take a second to catch their breath before continuing the hustle further northeast. Even the captain is giving them direction back to the base. Perhaps he’s rallying them in a safe spot to regain their fighting capabilities.
“If those men are allowed to run away to begin with, why don’t we withdraw sooner?” Caitlyn asks.
“Caitlyn…we’re still missing someone.” Genesis responds.
“Really?”
“Guess.”
She glances at the env-screen. It takes thirty seconds for her to realize it.
“Hassle, where in the world are you?” Fort asks through the detachment channel.
“Go. Just get out of here, Fort.” Hassle replies. Loud and rapid gunshots follow his voice.
“I said tell me where you are, not what I should do.”
“Patih Thread. They got us surrounded. No way out and they’re getting closer.”
“No, I’m getting you out of there. Slither.”
“Departing from base.” The gunship replies. “Will take time.”
Caitlyn takes a deep breath.
“Genesis, drive.” Caitlyn orders.
The maid smirks. She hits the gear. The tank lurches forward. Dirt drips from its tread as it scurries across the trenches. Nearby Proxies turn their attention, startled by PT’s rumbling engine. The cabin shakes as he crashes through hard obstacles in the way.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“First sergeant, what are you doing?”
“I’ll break him out, sir.” Caitlyn says. “Hang in there, Captain Hassle.”
“If you wish.” Hassle responds.
Genesis drives PT along the road to hasten their travel. Kalibr is close behind. They eventually reach the position where they were three days ago. Caitlyn spots a Gauntlet linking up with a squad of Guards. There are five of them. One is laying machine gun fire upon a beige two-stories building. That must be where Captain Hassle and his men are. The squad leader is observing the environment while talking through his earpiece. The other three is crouched with their weapons trained in cardinal directions.
Suddenly the squad leader catches PT’s presence. Caitlyn looks at him in the eye through the env-screen. He quickly sweeps his arm repeatedly. The Gauntlet turns its gun toward PT. But he beat them to it. One AP shell flies and penetrates the Gauntlet’s ammunition compartment. Flames bursting from inside. The tank blows up. The shock of the explosion topples one of the Guards. The squad leader helps him recover before they run for their lives. PT fires a high-explosive shell at them. As the smoke clears, three of them lie dead.
“Caitlyn, the Gauntlet that was suppressing us just disengaged. Be wary.”
“Hey, blonde.” PT pings a point on the map. “Get us there, let’s do a little trolling.”
PT rolls down the steady hill. The location he pinged is a dip between the hill-foot and the slight rise toward Patih Thread. It’s going to be a close encounter. As soon as the Gauntlet emerges from the village, PT fires at its tread and disables it. The Gauntlet returns fire. The shot lands behind PT. Its gun depression isn’t enough to fire at the Chord. PT fires at its barrel. His shell severs it. The Gauntlet then pops a smoke-screen. Caitlyn watches the crew scurrying out just before the smoke conceals them.
“Haha, yes!”
“Never expected less from you, love.” Caitlyn cries.
“Thanks sweetheart.” The interface shows a kissing emoji.
Caitlyn looks at Genesis. The maid gives a thumbs up.
“Gauntlet down, captain.” Caitlyn contacts Hassle.
“We’re still taking heavy fire. We could use some help drawing them out of us.” Hassle replies.
“Copy.” Caitlyn points to the radar screen. “Straight ahead and left. Through the field so we can hit them from behind.”
“Aye.” Genesis exclaims.
Kalibr joins them as soon as they leave their position. Genesis drives through the destroyed house, collapsing whatever walls remained. PT crushes fences, bushes, and other garden apparels alike under his tread. Once in the field, they are greeted by five Pilum shot. But only two manages to hit. The cabin rocks harshly. One hits the front hull with no penetration, the other tears his left side hull covering the tread.
“Oh crap!” PT yells.
The tank returns fire. His main gun neutralizes a Guard on the rooftop. His machinegun suppresses the one to his left. Kalibr guns down any Guards on the right side. Her thirty-millimeter chain gun shot through the walls, killing the soldiers hiding behind them. Kalibr takes a pilum to the right. Gray smoke billows from her hull. The Crescent pulls back, just enough to maintain covering fire for PT.
“We have to pull back.” Caitlyn says.
Genesis reverses PT to a slightly better cover. The Guards maintain their pressure.
“Captain Hassle?”
“We’re moving out. Hang in there.”
A rocket barrage saturates the place. It smites the houses and form craters across the field. They left behind fires and smokes that reduces visibility. A barren land lies before PT as they clear out. The Guards are nowhere to be found.
“Got you guys covered.” Slither says.
“Appreciate it buddy.” PT responds.
Soon Hassle and his squad emerges from a corner to the left. They hustle toward Kalibr. The captain waves to PT.
“I’m in your debt, first sergeant.” He says.
“Thanks, Caitlyn.” Wuss waves.
“My turn to buy drinks.” Georg says.
“Fort, Hassle here.” The captain speaks through Caution’s channel. “We’re inside Kalibr. I repeat, we are secured and are heading to your position. Over.”
“The Primus bless you all.” Fort responds. “Now get back here.”
“Whoo…” Genesis cheers. “We did it!” She faces Caitlyn and raises her right hand.
Caitlyn slaps Genesis’ hand so hard that she flinches. They successfully rescued the captain. And it was by her own initiative. It pleases her and raises her spirit. It urges her to celebrate.
“Can I have some of that as well, sweetheart?” The interface displays a hand emoji.
Caitlyn gives it a light tap so that she doesn’t break the screen.
“You in, blonde?”
“Here’s for a friend.” She exclaims before giving a similar tap.
Kalibr turns around. The two cowers as a deafening blast occurs ahead of them. The shock is disorienting. Caitlyn shivers. It’s their two-hundred-three-millimeter guns. The Thorns are now targeting her.
“Back! Back! Back!” Caitlyn shouts at Genesis.
The shells are upon them. The ground quakes as heavy-duty imperial steels seek her head. They leave a wasteland of black fuming craters. The cabin rocks violently as the barrage hits. Clouds of dust and dirt, mixed with shrapnel spew all around. Caitlyn struggles against the shock and the ear-blistering explosions. Looks like she’s not making it out of there.
She sees a glimpse of her mansion, the last time she saw it under a gleeful day. Her mother sits on the terrace accompanied by her sisters. She recalls their face as much as she could. She still can’t make up the details of their features. Except for Gvozdika and Ilya. Their gazes are impassive. She never gets to apologize. She hates how she caused it to herself. The state will hand her accumulated wage to them if she perishes. That should help her family to shut their debt. She only hopes that they’ll be fine without her.
The shelling stops. There’s an odd hollowness about the aftermath. She felt a heavy load on her back as she weathers the barrage. They aren’t there anymore. Red light flashes from the interface screen. It says ‘evac’ written in red. Caitlyn gapes at the tank’s schematic. Her breath is slow and heavy as she struggles to believe it. All segments are solid red.
PT…
“W-we’re not dead?” Genesis relaxes herself.
“PT,” Caitlyn calls him out, knocking at the main screen. “PT!”
The vibrating lines reappear on the interface. “Thank the Primus you both survived.” The tank speaks in his usual tone.
Genesis pops out of the hatch. “Oh damn!”
The maid’s shocked tone prompts Caitlyn to pop out of hers. She leaps down and glances at PT with her jaw dropped. She lifts a hand to cover it. PT is stripped of his armor. Pieces of them lie here and there. Burnt marks replace his paint-job. The top side of the turret caves in. The treads are no longer joint. The metal wheels are loose. And the engine is flaming.
“No…”
She glances at Patih Tread direction. She can still hear loud thumps coming from there. The pounding is accompanied by rattling gunshots. The shelling resumes, only with reduced intensity. Seems like the telves are finally moving in.
“This is Sergeant Brusilov.” An NCO cries in the NCO channel. “Ammo is running low. Telve’s armors are closing in. Need a QRF!”
“Get out of there, sergeant.” Another NCO responds. “Command’s dead. No point continuing this fight.”
“What!?”
“Just get the fuck out of there!”
Caitlyn collapses to her knee as she glances PT again. Genesis scurry out of the tank, cursing as she does.
“Yeah…guess I’m out of luck.” He says. “Go without me, sweetheart.”
Caitlyn clasps her hands and stands up. “Genesis!” She strides to the other side where the maid is. She finds her communicating with her utilizer while striking an astonished gaze toward PT. She grabs her shoulders and shake them. “Get us a repair team.”
“You need a factory to repair that, Caitlyn.”
“Extraction team then!”
Genesis shakes her head gently.
“Anything, really! Please!”
“Caitlyn…” Genesis looks at her in gloom. This is the first time Caitlyn sees it coming from the playful maid. She looks like she just lost her father again for the second time. “Everyone is too busy saving themselves.”
Caitlyn’s breath grows heavy.
“Caitlyn…sweetheart…” PT calls her.
She turns around. She can feel the tank wanting her to come closer. Her legs move on their own. She trudges toward him. Her weight becomes unbearable with each step. She eventually falls to her knee again. Her chest feels narrow as she raises her sight to the tank’s turret. It remains still. He must have lost control over it as well. Oddly enough, the pendant hanging on his barrel is still intact. She just notices it. The strap is a bit torn but it’s still holding.
“They’re coming. Get out of here.” He says. His tone is now gentler. He is trying to calm her down. But he knows that he couldn’t. “I’ve done my part, so please get to safety yeah?”
“I don’t want to leave you…” Caitlyn sobs.
“Well I don’t either. But you want to go home, don’t you? The rotation is just around the corner. Withdraw from this madness. Give them a big hug. You know you want it. I know you long for it.”
Caitlyn grips her chest. She feels a growing pain. Something is crushing her core. Last night was the pinnacle of her existence. She deems it so. But for every peak there is a trough. Hers being so close that it catches her off guard. She can’t believe that she has to let him go just after they declared their feelings to each other. She rests her head on PT’s hull, what remains of it. Her tears are dropping.
“PT…”
PT sighs. “If only I don’t lack visual expression function, I’d shed tears as much as you too.”
Kalibr returns, her rumbling wheels as she treads the dirt gave her presence.
Caitlyn glances over as Genesis grabs her shoulder. The maid nods toward the Crescent. It’s time to go. She takes another look at her dying tank. Brushing the brunt mark aside, she let her helmet touch his armor again.
“I’m sorry, PT.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve cheated death for eight years, not knowing how and why. Still can’t answer how. But I believe…it’s to meet you again. Now that I have, and even confessed to you under a sparkling night, I can’t be more grateful. Easy rest for me.”
“I love you.”
“Love you too, Caitlyn.”
Caitlyn plucks the next droplets of tears and rubs it at him. Nothing lasts forever. But to think that he ends like this is disheartening. She was hoping that he’d be decommissioned or at least scrapped by friendlies. Both yields recollections of him. But here he lies; alone in no man’s land with no planks or stones to bear his name.
“I’ll take care of her.” Genesis says.
PT chuckles. “Are you serious, blonde? She can do it herself.”
Genesis smiles at him.
Caitlyn plants her right foot to the ground. Genesis wraps an arm around her back and helps her up. They turn around and hustles toward Kalibr. Caitlyn takes one last look toward the tank. The pendant hanging on his gun flashes. Her hand grips hers, her tears still flow down her cheeks. Tanks come and go. She never thought that she would weep for one as it lay its life. Though she still isn’t able to shrug her tears, her core feels lighter knowing that PT regrets nothing. She too should feel the same. In his own words, to carry out his spirit. She catches his gun twitches to her direction for a split second. It shouldn’t be possible. She shakes her head harshly. Her tears must be playing with her sight.
Genesis puts Caitlyn beside her as she sits next to Kalibr’s hatch; her arm is still wrapped around Caitlyn. She gently taps her left shoulder as Kalibr speeds up. It catches Caitlyn’s attention. She looks at Genesis hand and automatically glances at Hassle who is looking at her. The captain looks down. Wuss and Georg follow his gesture. Looks like they wish they hadn’t gone out there. Had they not, Caitlyn wouldn’t need to come for them.
The cabin is all silent. Only her sniffing fills the vibe. She can feel her tears dispersing. But now her head grows heavy. It falls to Genesis’ shoulder. The maid adds to it; overlapping her own on top of Caitlyn’s helmet. Distant blasts catch their ears. Must be the Thorns’ rounds hitting something. Its low-end frequency prompts Caitlyn to close her eyes. Along with Genesis stroking her left side, they lull her to calibration.