Through Fire and Smoke, life goes on.

[Zoot Zoot]

[quote][b]Response to the Helghan Forces[/b]

A Regiment of the UCBRNSR will be deployed to Atlanta, these units will be armed for their own security, but they will not be used as combat units whilst on operations. They will move inland towards the most heavily affected areas and begin securing "zones" in which to conduct search and rescue operations as well as begin recovering the deceased. We will be deploying clearly marked helicopters for rapid movement aswell as specialised armoured vehicles such as the Saxon MkII and Scimitar II armoured recon vehicle. The Scimitars normally are light recon tanks, but given the nature of their design, the weapon modules have been replaced with sophisticated sensors and cameras to help detect possible survivors. We will be deploying a small taskforce of one amphibious assault carrier and two destroyers, these will be used as a secure off-shore base of operations. We will be working alongside the CNS Comfort hospital ship.[/quote]

[b]Atlantic Ocean[/b]

HMS Ocean, a Wasp Class Carrier and the two Arleigh Burke's, HMS Lamb of God and HMS Lamb of God began moving towards the co-ordinates provided by the SUSA forces. Onboard HMS Ocean, ten CH-53K Super Stallion's left the deck, each loaded with fifty five UCBRNSR troopers. Three squads in each chopper were combat units to protect the other two squads of CSAR units.

Once in range of Atlanta, the helicopters, already designed with stealth in mind, they dipped lower, below radar and moved in. This was to avoid any hostile elements taking advantage of the helicopters and shooting them down.

Once on the ground at Marietta, just nroth of route 401, the helos lifted off and headed back to HMS Ocean for re-fuelling and another trip. The five hundred and fifty men on the ground began establishing a makeshift base on the ground using a nearby warehouse after testing it for contamination.

It would take another week before the entire regiment and their gear was on the ground at the Marietta warhouse, but in the meantime back in the Empire, the C-130 fleet was being moved North to Guyana and loaded up with food, water and medical supplies, aswell as radiation suits, tens of thousands of radiation suits. Whilst all these preperations were taking place though, plans were being made by men on the ground to explore and secure Atlanta Airport, if anything remained of it.

The main problem would be moving that far South from Marietta, down to Union City to establish a forward base to launch reconnoitering operations from. Three squads moved south inside a small convoy of three Saxon II's and two Scimitar II's, their route would take them through Smyma and Mableton down route 285... close to ground zero within the city itself. It would be risky so all five vehicles modular sensor systems were replaced with their remote weapons modules. The two Scimitars would have one 90mm LCTS90 Weapon System installed each, and the Saxon II's would be fitted with 25 mm chain guns. Fitted with AMAP armour, which stood for Advanced Modular Armour Protection. With all vehicles able to move at a swift 55 miles per hour, if all went to plan and the roads were not too damaged, it wouldnt take too long to reach Union City and begin recon operations against the airport.

[Kevin Kingswell]

[b]Chancellor Sanders' location[/b]

"Arghh! You think you can take me!!" That battle cry and the sound of heavy machine gun fire ripped through the air around the three man party as Sanders and her protectors climbed over, under or through the rubble that choked the streets. "George" cried out Susan in happiness as she recognized the familiar sound of a fellow special forces soldier and as the group came around a demolished house they spotted a lone armored figure crouched behind an overturned metal desk exchanging gunfire with almost thirty hostile soldiers across an open street. Another six motionless bodies lay out in the open showing that George had already been busy and as the three of them moved to his position he gave the whole group a mad grin as they fell into place beside him, Malcolm and Susan adding their own firepower to George's whilst Sanders took shelter.

Over the space of the next few minutes the three special forces worked together to identify and remove each and very hostile attacking them and when the firing stopped not one was left alive. Removing his helmet the man that Susan had called George reached up with one meaty fist to wipe the sweat from his brow as he settled his weapon down on the ground. Again he greeted both Malcolm and Susan in the same manner of greeting as they had used for each other but gave the Chancellor a quick salute not wanting to bring too much attention to her.

Deciding to take this brief moment of respite to catch their breath Susan fished out some ration bars and handed them out and the group ate in silence, their thoughts their own for the time being. The only sounds that reached their ears was the distant sound of combat off in the park's direction and it seemed almost peaceful but they all knew it couldn't last and Malcolm quickly passed the order to get moving. They had all just gotten standing when the sounds of rotor blades cut through the air quickly followed by the shape of a helicopter gunship coming through a smoking gap in between two apartments.

"I don't think its friendly" roared George, "run!!!" As the group scattered the gunship fired one of its missiles from its rails which flew straight into the spot where the group had just been standing exploding in a wave of fire and debris. As smoke rose into the air the gunship fired a short volley from its chin mounted cannon into the same spot before flying off not wanting to stay in one place for too long.

Coughing Malcolm picked himself off of the ground where he had been flung to by the blast and began calling out. "Is everyone okay?" he shouted checking himself over for injuries. "A little banged up but I am all right" replied George as he walked over to Malcolm, "Susan? Chancellor?" asked Malcolm looking about for either one. "Malcolm over here!! Hurry!!" came the reply from Susan and the two men ran in the direction of her voice quickly coming upon Susan who was knelt by the prone body of Sanders. The Chancellor had been the slowest to move and the blast had knocked her body through the air and impaled her on a broken support beam, even now blood was beginning to pool beneath her.

Straining in agony and fighting to keep tears of pain from her eyes the Chancellor fought to stay conscious, Susan had one hand wrapped around Sanders and the other trying to stem the bleeding though all four of them could see that the wound was fatal. Taking a deep breath Sanders reached up with her injured arm and managed to remove a necklace with locket from around her neck and held it out towards Malcolm who took it from her trembling grasp.

"Sergeant. This is over for me and you know what must be done.... the line of succession is clear. Give my son the loyalty...and protection you have given me and please..give him that locket from me. Tell him...tell him I am sorry and...and...and that I love him so very much...."

As Sanders spoke her last few words a glazed look came over her eyes and her head sank to one side as the life left her body. Releasing her hold on Sanders' hand Susan stood and stared down sadly at the fallen Chancellors body whilst George placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Malcolm gave the locket a quick look before securing it away in one of his armor's pouches and then turned to his two squad mates.

"We don't have the time or resources to give her a decent burial. George record the location, then we have to move out for the park entrance. We might not have been able to save her but her legacy will live on and we will make these traitor !@#$%^&* pay for this" he vowed. All three special forces soldiers gave Sanders one last salute before grimly setting off towards the entrance to the park ready to follow her last orders and ready to make any traitors they found along the way pay with their lives.

Edited July 16, 2012 by Kevin Kingswell

[Kevin Kingswell]

[b]Near to the entrance of the park[/b]

Scrambling on all fours the young soldier cried out in shock and fear as bullets tore up the dirt around him spraying his face with mud and grit and he pushed himself on wards faster and harder to get away from the sights of the enemy soldiers. Finally managing to reach the relative safety of a burned out armored troop carrier he crawled through the distorted hatch to take shelter. Inside he collapsed against the warm steel of the wreck and tried to get his breathing under control as best as he could, as he closed his eyes and tried to focus his mind went back to earlier in the day when he had so happily and willfully stated his dedication to the Chancellor's cause. That all seemed to have happened so long ago and his friends and comrades had been alive and well, now he was all alone the rest of his squad, his friends, were dead and he felt so alone.

Clutching his rifle tightly to his chest he heard raised voices from outside the vehicle and he wormed his way back to the hatch and leaned out bringing his rifle to his shoulder as he did. He immediately spotted the soldiers approaching his position, noticing that they were traitors, at the same time that they noticed him unfortunately for them he was quicker on the trigger and he fired a number of short bursts down at them taking two of them in the chest killing both and sending the rest fleeing into cover. However, as soon as they had they began to return fire and he found himself pinned down as sparks erupted all around him as their bullets struck the hull. Cursing he slipped back slightly sticking the barrel of his rifle out he fired blind praying and hoping that somehow someone would come and kill them for him.

It was then that he heard the sound of sustained machine gun fire accompanied by the solid bark of a sniper rifle and realized that the amount of incoming fire had dropped off. Making a quick three count in his head the young man leaped out of the ruined vehicle and rolled into a prone position facing the traitors as he did this he was time to see an armored figure leap over a nearby sandbag wall and straight on to one of the traitors upon which the figure proceeded to smash the butt of his rifle into the man's face again and again until the traitor lay still beneath him. By this time only one traitor soldier was still alive and he had had more than enough and took off at a full sprint back towards the location of the other traitor forces.

"Oh no you don't" the young soldier said as he lined up his weapon sights with the back of the fleeing man's head and without a seconds thought he gently squeezed the trigger sending a three round burst out and into the man punching straight through the back of his head in a spray of blood leaving him to fall dead to the ground. Turning its head the armored figure looked and nodded to the soldier before motioning back the way he had come from and two more armored figures quickly made their way over, one with a sniper rifle and one with a machine gun, before the trio quickly ran across to his position.

"Sergeant Malcolm Renault, 1st Special Forces division that is lance corporal Susan Grayson and private George Jiro also 1st Special Forces division. What's your name soldier?" asked Malcolm as the three spec ops troopers came to a rest before the loyalist trooper. "Uh private Kevin Kingswell, 12th Infantry Regiment sir" replied the young man as he threw Malcolm a salute as he did so. "No need for a salute Kevin, we need to reach the commander in charge we have important and vital information" said Malcolm looking around the area. "Oh right I can take you straight to the commander sir" said Kevin happy to finally have someone backing him up. "All right lead the way son."

With all that said Kevin lead the three special force soldiers across the battlefield, dropping into cover when they came under fire and helping them to fight back until it was safe to move again. Along the way they passed a number of loyalist soldiers, many of them with wounds of some degree and in a few cases passing whole positions that were filled with naught but slain loyalist soldiers which brought different feelings to Kevin mostly anger and grief though he noticed that Malcolm and the others didn't seem as effected by the sight and wondered if that was because of their training or just from their personalities. It didn't take long for them to reach the actual entrance to the park where the armored vehicles of the loyalists still lay bunkered down giving fire support where they could though since Kevin had last been back here another two fighting vehicles had been destroyed.

Passing by a makeshift field hospital where medical staff and a small number of civilian volunteers were trying their best to save the lives and bodies of wounded and dying soldiers, whose screams of pain and cries for help filled the air, the four soldiers came up to the command post where they were stopped by a pair of sentries. Malcolm stepped past Kevin and quickly informed the guards of their situation and Kevin found himself being waved through with them and seeing how no one was giving him orders he just stayed with the special forces troopers as they approached and greeted the command staff.

Here standing around a table made from a stack of ammo crates upon which lay a collection of maps of Atlanta city all marked with arrows and other markings were the command staff of the loyalist forces and it seemed that General Oliver had traveled here from the command and control bunker which had proven a stroke of luck as shortly after leaving from it Oliver head heard that it had been wiped out in a missile strike. Walking up to Malcolm he shook hands with the sergeant before asking for his report.

With a tone full of sadness Malcolm reported the loss of the Chancellor showing Oliver the locket she had given him as proof and Kevin heard someone gasp in horror only to realize that it was he who had done so. He looked away quickly in embarrassment only to feel someone place a heavy hand on his shoulder and he turned to find himself staring into the visor of Susan's helmet. Through it he could see the pale grey eyes of the female soldier full of the same shock, pain and anger he felt was being shown in his own and he stared for a few more seconds before clearing his throat and getting himself under control. Susan removed her hand but in turn gave him a very quick reassuring smile before turning back to listen to Oliver detail their new mission.

"Well sergeant this is a dark day for the Ascendancy" began General Oliver his tone conveying his own grief at Malcolm's news "with the loss of the Chancellor plus all the devastation across the whole of the nation the Ascendancy is in a perilous position. However, as the Chancellor said herself the line of succession is clear and it is up to her son to lead us through this dark time. Your new orders are to head to Sanders' home estate and retrieve her son from there. Last we had heard was that he was safe and under loyalist guard but we have not had contact for some time now."

"Yes sir, understood sir!" said Malcolm snapping a sharp salute to the General before turning to Kevin and the others. "You heard the General. Kevin I am assigning you the the 1st Special Forces division under my command for now. Any complaints or questions" Malcolm asked and Kevin found he had many questions he wanted to ask but simply shook his head in negative response and Malcolm continued. "Okay then we will grab one of the personal carriers and leave immediately. Move out." With that order the four of them left the command tent and headed outside to where the vehicles lay, informing the nearest carrier of their orders they all quickly climbed aboard and once inside the driver took them away from the battleground at the park and drove off in the direction of the Chancellor's former home.

[MostGloriousLeader]

The reality of the situation was much more serious than previously thought and it was decided that a larger commitment of troops might be necessary. But first, contact had to be established with whatever form of government existed in order to understand what was happening. To that end an operation was put together to accomplish that goal. The ACNS Wasp was in a flurry of activity as orders were received. Four Sea Stallions with marines and specialist equipment took off accompanied by four Sea Cobra gunships as an escort. Their ultimate destination was the location given by the radioman Commonwealth forces were in contact with. Flying additional cover were four AV-8B Harrier II fighters, two configured with air to air load outs and the other two for ground attack. With the helicopters flying low and the fighters flying high they managed to reach their destination without much trouble. The marines disembarked in full NBC gear and began to secure a working communications outpost with the equipment they brought with them. Meanwhile Colonel Michael Harrison, the commander of the the Wasp MEU, went around looking for someone in the Ascendency to put him in contact with their superiors.

Back in the Commonwealth military units were being mobilized for possible deployment with the 1st Airborne Division on high alert status and several other units being ordered to readiness. An E-3 AWACS left Langley AFB to provide additional radar coverage for the Pennsylvania Task Force off the Georgia coast accompanied by four F-22 Raptors. After reaching their station they were met by a KC-10 Extender for aerial refueling to help them maintain their patrol. Another force also took off from Langley composed of 10 V-22 Ospreys carrying a Ranger company and a special forces unit. Their orders were to land on the Wasp and await further instruction.

OOC: Atlanta has a dock? I thought it was located inland?

[Kevin Kingswell]

[b]Highway 24, en route to Chancellor Sanders' former home[/b]

Racing along Highway 24 in their wheeled transport the special forces soldiers including their new recruit sat in silence each one lost in their own thoughts and memories and finding himself full of nervous energy Kevin busied himself with checking over his rifle, going over each and every part to ensure they were in full working order and once he had made a full check he went over them again just to keep himself distracted. He was just starting his third check when he heard a small feminine laugh from across him and he looked up to see Susan looking at him through her helmet's visor. Standing up she crossed the short space between the two of them and sat down next to Kevin who tried to keep his eyes on his rifle as she did so.

"Everything okay private you seem nervous" she asked leaning back against the frame of the transport with her attention on the young man. Kevin smiled and gave a little nervous laugh as his hands continued to move over the rifle. "Maybe a little it isn't everyday you go from being a simple trooper to being a member of the special forces. Even if it is only temporary" replied Kevin honestly. "Who said anything about it being temporary soldier. You have some real skill and determination" spoke Malcolm causing Kevin's face to go a slight hint of red which brought bursts of laughter from the special forces operators.

"Sergeant Renault we got a problem" interrupted the driver breaking the atmosphere of the moment and getting everyone's attention. "Report trooper" responded Malcolm stepping forward to stand behind the driver. "Blockade ahead sergeant, we can get through but they have mobile vehicles will pursue us. Hope your men are ready for combat" he said as he aimed the armored vehicle at a gap in the blockade, whose defenders were only just noticing the oncoming vehicle, tapping the man on the shoulder Malcolm turned around to face his squad. "All right everyone get ready, move to the view ports and be ready to engage hostile targets" he ordered and moved to the nearest port on the left as everyone else moved to one of their own.

Racing up to the blockade the driver kept the speed at maximum as he approached even as bullets began to strike the armored hull he focused on ramming his way through. There was the solid crunching sound of metal hitting metal as the driver literally forced his way through two light fighting vehicles the enemy had put across the road, the more solid frame and power of the armored vehicle winning out leaving two twisted wrecks behind but that was the easy part now they would have a running gun battle on their hands as they set off with a number of hostile vehicles in pursuit. Spinning the turret around one hundred and eighty degrees the gunner opened up on them with his machine gun whilst the troopers inside fired when they could from the view ports.

As the vehicles raced across the highway driving over, around or through any wreckage and rubble that got in their way the crews focused on destroying their counterparts though it quickly became apparent that the traitors had made a tactical error as their vehicles couldn't damage the loyalist vehicle with their weapons but could be destroyed in turn as one vehicle found out as a line of bullets stitched across the windshield killing the driver and sending the vehicle slamming into the side of the highway where it came to a crashing halt. Kevin shouted in triumph at the sight before crying out in shock as a heavy impact knocked him to the floor, shaking his head to clear it he wondered just what had happened when he heard the terrible sound of Susan crying out in pain from behind him.

Looking up he saw that an enemy soldier had made the almost suicidal leap onto the side of the carrier and hanging on with one hand had plunged the other holding a knife through the view port which had embedded itself deep in Susan's shoulder and in the cramped conditions she found herself unable to remove it or its wielder. Too confined to bring his rifle to bear Kevin grabbed a sidearm from a nearby weapon rack and threw himself over to Susan's position, shoving the barrel through the port next to the arm he fired round after round into the enemy soldier's body until the chamber clicked empty. Bleeding from multiple wounds the enemy soldier's grasp loosened and he fell from his perch to be crushed under the tires of the vehicle.

Pulling Susan down he looked at the knife still in her shoulder and knew that he couldn't remove it without causing the wound to bleed much worse, giving Susan a look of apology he shook his head to which she gave him a weak smile as he removed her helmet. Taking down a medical kit he removed a syringe of strong pain suppressant and pressed the needle into her neck and pumped the suppressant into her body. With all that he could do done he gave her a reassuring tap on the arm before going back to his view port though by the time he had the remaining traitors had withdrawn rather than lose anymore people in a futile fight.

"Susan?" asked Malcolm the concern clear in his voice. "The wound is bad but as long as the knife stays in and we get here to a medic asap she should be okay" reported Kevin sitting down and reloading his rifle with a new clip. Moving past him both Malcolm and George went to Susan's side to see how she was and to talk with her and he was content to leave them alone. "Destination isn't far now" stated the driver much to everyone's relief and Kevin closed his eyes to rest for the short remaining distance.

[supercheese]

Receiving a request for fire support Cuban artillery Launched a barrage on enemy positions. Drones in the air gave artillery a decent idea on enemy troop positions and defenses. After the initial barrage artillery would be on standby for additional fire support should it be requiered. Elsewhere the search continued. Military hospitals were set on the docks and large amounts of relief workers and supplies have set up in the area. On the docks troops completed defenses with checkpoints sniper positions and machine gun nests along the perimeters. A steady amount of civilians walked or we're flown in to the docks.