Confederate Dauntless Colonel
Farlorn's Forlorn
Chapter Nine: (Un)fortunate sons
Part Two
Tags: Ruus Kote
They watched the mechanized Mandolorian infantry wreak havoc through the Jungle with their esoteric and advanced weapons of war. The legends were true. It was a terrifying sight to behold in person even for bloodied veterans.
“Why do they get all the good stuff?” Trooper Grant complained as he clambered into the troop compartment of the transport, watching a Charon turn from a five-meter-tall monster of impenetrable segmented armor to a pile of smoldering dust. Behind him, a rapid segmented tactical withdrawal was being executed. Which was fancy talk for running with your tail tucked between your legs. “We don’t even have a single disruptor.”
“Oh, you’ll get a disruptor, Grant,” Osowiec quipped as he backed up into the APC, firing off bursts of covering fire while ordering his remaining men still in the field. “up your arse if I keep hearing you yap about some Viceroy not giving us enough attention. Come on, boys! You got five more seconds to get on or I’m sure these alien bastards will appreciate you as some fine kibble!”
“I didn’t know you were into that stuff, Cap.” Grant teased as the ramp slammed shut. “Not that I’m judging.”
“Oh, will you just shut up? I should have had you on charges of insubordination a long time ago.” Osowiec took the time to smack the rebellious soldier in the side of the head. Strapping himself into a secure seat, he switched his comms-channel to his squad leaders. “Zaphod, Ford, Kaylee, sound off. How many did we lose.”
He impatiently tapped his feet as the news came on. “Only seven? Seven. Praise the Lord, we were lucky. I want all of you to know that you should be proud of yourself and your team. When we get back… if we get back… I am recommending medals for everyone in this bloody company, at least what’s left of it.”
Just down the way, Karsaw and Porky were seated next to each other, both staring at a Mando gunner hanging out the side-hatch and the others in the compartment.
“Quiet bunch those boys, ain’t they?” Porky pointed out.
“I guess that’s because this bunch doesn't like talking so much, even amongst their own kind.” He leaned in and whispered. “I guess that’s Mando’s for you. Ain’t got much to talk about that isn’t killing anything that moves and hanging it's head as a trophy. Blood thristy”
“I think they are blabbering to each other. Through their helmet-talkies.”
“How would you know that?”
“Look at the way their heads are moving. That one just looked at his friend and he cocked his head slightly. When he stopped doing that, his buddy did the opposite.”
Karsaw took quite a while to figure it out. That was Porky for you. He would miss things right in front of his nose but then point out something that even Corpo-Detectives would miss at a first glance. “And you shouldn’t be calling them that, Kar-boy, it’s not nice. Don’t matter what they were before. You should ask yourself in that little noggin of yours if it matters what they were before if they're loyal now? They help people.”
Karsaw hesitated for a bit. “I suppose so. But I just can’t shake that feeling. We fought against them. Their kin killed our kin and so did we kill theirs.”
“That’s not your fault. So long as you try to fight it as best you can.” Suddenly the APC shook as the Charon launched their second assault of the day. The Rangers switched from casual chatter to battle-ready posturing in the blink of an eye. Troopers checked what ammo they had left and prepared to bail out of their transports and into practiced formations.
“I’m going to have to apologize, sir,” Osowiec shouted to Colonel Kote, “But you’ll have to try to beat me when it comes to the resurrection thingy. Cause only I kill my own men and I kill them good.”
The Rangers the transports made a hearty laugh but were all ready for blood if and when it would come.