Duty Log | Col. Patrick Harper | "Let the Sunshine In"

Posted on 241505.31 @ 5:24pm by Colonel Patrick Harper

Mission: The Krigoran War [GQ]

The tundra could hardly be more picture perfect. The sweeping fields of lush green grass, trees, shrubbery, and local wildlife. The plains of Krigoria could have been transplanted from the European continent of Earth and no one would've noticed a difference. Little ginger-bread houses in villages and hamlets along roads quiet and peaceful. If you were to paint a picture of an idealistic landscape, you'd probably paint this.

With one omission. You probably wouldn't paint marine battle tanks and armoured personnel carriers thundering across the view.

Riding in his hummer, Patrick looked out at the view as he watch it pass him, appreciating that it looked so much like the rolling hills and valleys of his homeland that he longed to see it again. But that would not be possible, and he had a job to do, so nostalgia would have to wait.

"Charlie Company are at checkpoint echo, Colonel." Reported his radio operator, who was sitting in the back seat behind him. "They report the village is clear of militia and are proceeding to point foxtrot."

"Very well." Harper said, not communicating a message back. He'd done that three times previously, urging caution each time, but by now he was sure that Captain Peng was getting somewhat resentful of being molly-coddled by his Brigade CO. Klingons could be very touchy about that. However, Charlie Company was the brigade's recon element, and it was their job to proceed ahead of the formation and scout ahead. There were other recon elements sweeping along the flanks too, but they were platoon size outfits from the other battalions.

"Its a bit quiet." Harper's driver noted.

"Indeed." Harper said. "If their intelligence abilities are as good as claimed, they should've seen our Brigade move out and not head to the lines. They should know we're here, and that worries me that they're not trying to stop us."

"Maybe they're focusing all their assets on the capital. We've seen people do equally stupid things if they're not military minded." Harper's Command Sergeant Major offered from the back seat.

"True, but I get the feeling we're not that lucky. They know what's coming, and I think they're smart enough not to engage us in open combat." Harper replied, remembering a campaign with Richard when they'd been faced with a similar set of circumstances. What had Sharpe done back then...?

"Conner, relay instructions to all forces to hold advance at Checkpoint Foxtrot." Harper ordered.

"Trojan force, Trojan force, this is Trojan six, all forces to halt at checkpoint foxtrot. I say again, all forces to halt at checkpoint foxtrot." The radio operator relayed into the comm gear.

About a mile up the road, the marine advance came to a stop at a quaint little village that was built on a gentle slope leading down to a river crossing. It was a picturesque scene, only marred by dozens of tanks, APCs and other military equipment. A little further down the road, Charlie Company had moved ahead and secured the bridge - which would be vital to the progression.

Harper's senior officers came and found him, as he stood beside his hummer with a map table deployed, studying it intently.

"What's up boss?" Asked his Brigade XO, Lt Colonel Hamm.

"I have a bad feeling about this peace and quiet, Matt." Harper replied. "I've experienced something like this before, many years ago now, different time - different battlefield - different enemy - but it feels the same."

"Boss getting the gitters?" Lt Colonel Young asked, as she walked over.

"Hardly." Patrick replied, looking at the blonde Battalion CO. She was new to her job, much like himself. She'd been a rising star and spotted by others and promoted fast.

"What's the beef?" Lt Colonel Wren asked, as he made his way to the map table. As the Battalion CO of his armoured units, it was he who would be the most concerned about stopping. Concentrated stationary tanks were not the most secure of things in enemy territory.

"Read the terrain." Harper said, as the rest of his officers assembled. "We have to go down this valley, cross the river, and then climb up the other side. To make this worse, we have to funnel our forces across this one stone bridge, which would mean one at a time, rather than abreast. If you were going to ambush a large military unit, where better?"

It was classic tactics, right the way back to World War 2, to force an enemy armoured unit to funnel up, then you can hit them one at a time. Further, it was as ancient as warfare itself that he who commanded the high-ground, commanded the battlefield.

"Might be worth sending our scouts out, see what's out there." Hamm suggested.

"Can we not get an overflight?" Zara Young asked.

"Both good suggestions." Harper nodded. "Conner, get on the horn to the 505, ask them for a recon flight. Matt, send the recon unit up ahead in fifteen minutes. Make it look like the entire brigade is moving out, it might make our enemy blink."

"If they're out there, boss." Dan Wren replied. "Seen no evidence of that, just your gut."

"Well, they put the bird on my collar Dan, so you get to indulge my gut feelings." Harper replied, tersely.

"Yes sir." Wren replied, calmly. Daniel Wren had been with the brigade for longer than Harper had, and had felt passed over for the command. But those were the breaks, and Patrick wasn't going to loose any sleep over Dan Wren's hurt feelings.

It was at this point that Major Tash King came over. She was the head of the Artillery section, and because they were always the slowest unit in this sort of thing, had taken longer to laager up. "Tubes are up and ready, Chief." Tash said, by way of a greeting. She was one of the smart ones, and had anticipated why they'd stopped, and had set up her artillery to provide fire support before anyone else had realised they'd need it. She'd personally been selected for this command by Old Trident himself, and she was extremely intelligent.

"Nice work Tash." Harper smiled. "Alright, get the boys and girls to break out the ration packs. We'll hold up here for a bit, unless we get engag-"

An explosion not far from their position, to their left had everyone's head turn to face it. It was followed shortly by another one over to the right.

"Incoming!" CSM Brown shouted.

"I hate being right!" Harper shouted, as he dived into a nearby building just as a nearby Humvee exploded.

= To be continued =

Col. Patrick Harper
CO, 86th MECH
NPC by Frankie