Chapter 8: The Battle of Pase del Diablo Delgado

“Who are you?” Eleazar asked the Master Sergeant standing next to him. “Wait ... Ah, you’re the Lifen marines. Take up position to the left as we...”

“Major Eleazar,” Stone told him. “I’m Master Sergeant Stone. You’ve been relieved of your position as lead commander of the Martian Alpha Battalion.”

Eleazar held his armored hands up. “Excuse me? What did you say?”

“Are you deaf, Major?” Stone replied back with a firm attitude. “I’m taking command of this unit. You’ll be my second in command.”

“What is the meaning of this, Master Sergeant Stone!? An officer is required to take command of any battalion unit that ... wait ... Stone?...”

Eleazar seemed to recognize the name. Other marines who were nearby began to gather around to overhear what had just been said. The scene grew tense immediately. The name Stone started to bounce around the men and women who heard it. Others began to whisper it to the others. The Lifen marines also looked at Stone to await what would happen next.

“Stone?” Eleazar questioned the name. “That’s not possible ... Master Sergeant Stone? As in former Avalanche Stone?”

“Major, stand aside,” Stone angrily told him.

“What? No!” Eleazar held his ground. “An officer is supposed to command a battalion. No enlisted men are allowed to...”

Stone took a step toward him. His fierce gaze pierced into the officer. “In less than ten minutes, the enemy will come pouring through that exit, officer. You’re only going to get these fine soldiers killed due to your negligence.”

“You have the gull to tell me that? You’re out of line! We’re only getting ready to repel the Shal’rein army. I don’t know how you managed to get that rank put back on you after what you did here on Pa...”

The master sergeant took another step and grabbed the officer’s armored shoulder. “Maybe you should have your ears checked, soldier!” Stone yelled at him. “You’ve been relieved! I’ve been reinstated as Master Sergeant by order of Admiral Thiago. If you want, I can contact him and let him know why you disobeyed my order...”

There were a few seconds as the officer’s eyes went wide the moment he heard it. He knew that Stone was deliberately making a scene, and Eleazar was only a part of it.

“Fine,” Eleazar backed down. “Master Sergeant...”

Stone let go of the officer and stepped toward the crowd of gathering marines. Ioren stood next to the tall, armored marine. Another Itrean, dressed in red and green wrap armor, walked up next to Stone.

“Centurion Ioren,” Stone commanded her. “Patch me in for everyone to hear. Centurion Bekra, translate what I’m going to say to the T’rintar soldiers.”

“Understood, Master Sergeant,” Bekra replied.

Both Itrean women did their part. They reached down and tapped a side hip panel. Every T’rintar soldier and UHN marine could overhear.

“Attention all soldiers!” Stone explained, yelling with a fierce intensity. “I’ve relieved Major Eleazar. I’ve taken command of the Martian Alpha Battalion. I want all vehicles to separate themselves from one another, staggered formation. In 9 minutes, the Shal’rein southern army is going to come roaring through that pass. They know we’re here, and they’ll still pour through. You know why? Because they think you can’t stop them. It’ll be their last mistake!”

The other marines began to look at one another and give a nod. Bekra was doing her best to translate, although Stone spoke hard and fast, making it difficult to do so. However, the spirit of the man’s voice spoke louder than any word. Stone continued and momentarily paced while looking at everyone. The Lifen quickly lifted off the ground and veered away, blasting air and snowflakes over everyone.

“We know what’s at stake!” He said. “The enemy is using this pass to reach their northern and eastern army as fast as they can. Counterattacks against the Shal’rein invasion are underway right now. What you see around you is all we have. Without us, the enemy will begin targeting the last cities. But those cities have nothing to worry about because the UHN’s finest marines will do their part and hold our ground. The Shal’rein are expert gunners, but they never met the Alpha Battalion either!”

Stone turned and pointed at the great tank behind him. “Do you see that?” He yelled out. “That’s an Alara’jal tank, one of the most powerful Itrean vehicles currently being used by the UHN. His name is Fat Mac. He’s going to park his fat ass away to the rear flank, away from all of you. I don’t want any vehicle going past it because Fat Mac needs our help smashing every vehicle pouring through that exit. The Shal’rein don’t know we have this thing in our possession, but every vehicle that shows up will get a chance to see it face to face as they stare down its barrel. Fat Mac here is a tempting target for the enemy. I don’t want to give the Shal’rein an excuse for them to bust him up! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!?”

“Yes, Master Sergeant!” Many of the marines yelled out.

“The Shal’rein are among the best soldiers of the Itrean armies!” He continued as he pointed at them. “The enemy believes you’re weak! They think you’re pushovers. They think you’re pussies. But you know what I think of them?! I think they’re fucking morons! The UHN fleets are prepared to bombard them, but they can’t do it themselves. It’s up to all of you to hold the line at the gates. No Shal’rein vehicle will reach past this point because your fat asses will hold them here. Every bullet, every bomb, every shell, will be poured on them. The rain is coming, and it’s from all of you!”

“Yeah!” Many of the marines responded.

He stepped forward as everyone looked at him. His energy became contagious. “I’ve trained many of you in Marine Drill. Every one of you has earned the right to wear that armor. No Shal’rein, no enemy can take that away from you. Instead, you’ll be taking theirs! You are the best of the best, and no fucking invader is getting through there. Their remains will litter this pass so that their families will forever remember the ones who ripped them asunder. They’ll know the name of the UHN Marines!”

“YEAH!” Many of the marines yelled out in cheer. Some held their fists into the air.

“UHN Marines!” Stone held his fist up. “REDDER THAN BLOOD!”

“Blood for life!” The marines responded in unison.

“Now, everyone, get into your positions! All vehicles separate yourselves. This isn’t some caravan party! MOVE! Move like you got a pair!”

The marines all began to disperse. Stone turned around and looked at the Lifen marines. The fierce gaze on his face said it all. Some were ones he knew quite well from the Lifen. It was possible that some were not going to make it.

“That includes you, slackers!” Stone yelled at them and gestured to the rapidly moving formation. “FUCKING MOVE!”

“Aye! Aye!” one of the marines replied. A few of them appeared to be rookies, but the battle was one that was going to make them instant veterans overnight.

“Fat Mac!” Stone pointed at the massive tank. “That wasn’t a suggestion earlier. Back the fuck up! Your gun can outrange any artillery we have! Move it!”

The T’rintar soldiers were quick in their movements. Their quick mobile railgun destroyers lifted their anchors and began to hover in the air. Their repulsor engines could be heard as the hover vehicles began to put more spacing, putting a sizeable horseshoe pattern surrounding the pass exit. Once they were in a better position, their engines would die down quickly, causing the hover vehicles to plop onto the snow and redeploy their anchors.

“The stories about you were true,” Major Eleazar remarked to Stone. “I couldn’t believe it was you until I saw you with my own eyes.” The officer saluted Stone. “I stand ready.”

“Stand by to relay my orders, officer,” Stone told him. “If I fall, take command. The enemy will not pass this point.”

“You have my word, Master Sergeant.”

The great Alara’jal tank began to reverse course, putting itself in its own row away from the marine artillery vehicles. The sounds of moving vehicles could be heard everywhere, along with the sounds of men and women who also yelled out to get into proper positions. The flat snow provided little cover. However, many of the marines decided to take the knee. They lifted up their machine guns or grenade launchers and kept them at the ready. Their powerful armor easily handled the intense weight of their weapons and equipment. Bekra continued to speak in the Itrean language in an attempt to prevent any confusion among the other Itreans. She turned to look at the Master Sergeant before doing her quick nods.

“T’rintar standing ready,” Bekra said. “They will follow any order you give them.”

“Roger.”

Blasts could be heard in the great distance. Officer Eleazar held a projected display on his left power armor panel. He read the information provided.

“Shal’rein APCs will be in firing range in 4 minutes,” Eleazar told him. “They’ve begun shelling the anti-aircraft batteries on the cliffsides along the entire pass.”

“Copy,” Stone replied.

A beeping sound could be heard on Stone’s armor. The Master Sergeant tapped his panel to click on a comm channel.

“This is Master Sergeant Stone,” he replied.

“Stone, that was a hell of a speech,” a hoarse male voice echoed on the comms. The hint of the Chinese accent could be heard. “This is Captain Shoi-Ming of the Battleship Atlasov commanding the Martian Armored Cruiser Group Delta. Our fleet comprises of six warships. We’re in position and ready to provide support fire for your marines. Whenever you give the command, we will bombard the enemy position or whatever location you deem fit. Be warned that we’ll only be able to provide limited support fire before we have to forcibly reposition for another salvo due to enemy counterfire. Even now, Shal’rein ground tanks continually target our ships. Our missiles will have limited effect, and only our railguns can provide sufficient damage.”

“Copy that,” Stone replied. “Stand by for my pings, Captain.”

“Understood, Stone. Good luck...”

The comm-link ended as Major Eleazar held his panel outward to show the map projection of the upcoming battlefield.

“Any word from the Paloran Airforce?” Stone asked.

“Negative,” Eleazar replied. “Intel has spotted a Shal’rein interceptor and gunship squadron 25 kilometers from our location but are maintaining distance.”

Bekra shifted her armored foot on the snow. “They’re waiting for the anti-aircraft batteries to be destroyed,” she added.

“Roger,” Stone replied. The man turned to look at the mobile artillery squad, which included the gargantuan brown tank behind them.

Inside the We’kal, Tahir felt a wave of emotion roll over him. The scene earlier, with Stone taking command and shoving the officer away, averted a possible crisis. He felt a strong sense of relief, but it was only temporary.

<There is now a 38% probability of our survival, > We’kal told Tahir.

“That’s a good jump,” Tahir replied. “Is that your way of telling me that you’re feeling confident?”

<Data processing on Master Sergeant Stone reveals his experienced record. This will be the first battle he’ll command involving a battalion under live fire and in such large numbers of soldiers. However, his prior experience is far more exemplary than Major Eleazar’s record. His personality assessment will greatly excel his performance. To answer your inquiry, he is better suited for this battle. I concur with this course of events.>

“Good.”

“Enemy vehicles are approaching,” Tr’ina commented.

<Shal’rein vehicles will be in firing range in 2 minutes, > We’kal added. <Preparing targeting periscope. Be warned of limited ammunition available for the Kinta’Ga Cannon. All weapon systems online. Firing solutions established.>

“Alright,” Br’ina said on the comms. “Some action!”

The large periscope lowered down from the ceiling. On the digital map, Tahir could see the 3d projection of the valley. It was considerably large, larger than what the projection could reach. The cliffside walls would snake and curve in many small directions. A large string of purple dots could be seen traveling through at a relatively fast but steady pace. It was like looking at ants moving through a thin area.

“That’s a lot,” Tahir remarked, looking at the map. He grabbed the periscope handle with his one free hand and brought it to his face.

<Under typical conditions, > We’kal explained. <This tank would not survive against such great numbers. However, their recklessness in pushing through this valley will be their undoing.>

“Then why such a low percentage chance?” he asked.

<Limited ammunition, reliability on all cased entities other than this tank, and unpredictable variables in the battlefield. All have been assessed and calculated.>

“Maybe you forgot the human variable.”

<That has also been calculated.>

Looking through the periscope, Tahir could see the valley straight ahead. The 3D map provided a layout simulation, as he had seen in the previous skirmish. A string of Shal’rein vehicle silhouettes could be seen. Basic schematics revealed cases of Shal’rein APCs and tanks that were roaring together in formation. It was still intimidating to behold such a sight. Tahir knew that he could see them and that they knew about the T’rintar and marines that were standing by at the exit.

A set of triangular green patterns that reached out from the exit and into the valley could be seen. The range finder showed that the first row of Shal’rein vehicles was reaching the edge of the green pattern. The tank turret made slight adjustments and raised its heavy cannon at a 45-degree angle, along with the other sets of smaller marine artillery vehicles.

“Fat Mac, Hammer Squad!” Stone’s voice echoed on the comms. “Standby! When I give the command. Open fire on the Shal’rein vehicles.”

Tahir could feel his adrenaline begin to pool in. Any moment now, the fight would begin. The Shal’rein APCs already had their mortars pointing in his direction. However, the man felt calmer than anything else. It was as if he could feel the relaxed heartbeat of the tank, ready to perform its natural duty. Every marine and T’rintar soldier was at the ready, waiting for the ensuing fight to come. The man briefly looked at Tr’ina and Br’ina. They both remained quiet but focused on the upcoming fight. Finally, a beeping sound could be heard. An overhead pinging sound echoed along with Stone’s command.

“NOW!” Stone yelled out.

The marine hammer artillery vehicles were the first to unleash their fury. Multiple cannons could be heard going off that echoed through the landscape. Powerful 150mm rounds were flung into the air at a 45-degree angle. It was almost in perfect unison.

“Fire!” Tahir said to Sr’ina.

Half a second later, Tahir heard the main heavy cannon of the Alara’jal tank open fire. Its powerful shell would join the barrage of marine artillery shells. Suddenly, an echo of crackling thunder could be heard from the valley. Stone had pinged the UHN fleet to begin its bombardment in unison with the marines. The array of armored cruisers in orbit began to fire its railgun turrets onto the surface below.

At the same time, the Shal’rein APCs also began to open fire, unleashing their mortar rounds that quickly cleared the valley cliffsides.

The array of artillery shells began landing on the Shal’rein frontal formation in less than two seconds. Explosions, dirt, and snow were thrown about. The heavy tank shell landed on a Shal’rein battle tank, blowing it to pieces and reducing it to a wreck in less than a second. Multiple railgun shells began to rain down on the Shal’rein vehicles causing damage, knocking a few, or missing the vehicles as they made adjustments to evade fire. Meanwhile, continuous explosions reverberated through the Shal’rein formation.

Many of the first rows of tanks were being destroyed. However, the enemy counterfire commenced. The mid-formation of Shal’rein tanks already had their turrets aimed upward. Hypervelocity shells were flung from their twin barrels into the sky. It was not aimed in Tahir’s direction. In less than a second, the rain of UHN railgun shells stopped.

<The UHN fleet is currently moving position to prepare for another salvo, > The computer told Tahir. <Kinta’Ga cannon ammunition data has been submitted to Stone’s computer data.>

Enemy shells began raining in on the army that held a position at the valley exit. Mortar rounds began landing near the right column of T’rintar railgun destroyers. One shell landed perfectly on the vehicle, blowing it to bits. Smoke, small craters, and melted snow filled the scene. A few T’rintar soldiers quickly ran from the multiple explosions but quickly resituated themselves and pointed their guns at the entrance.

The hammer artillery continued to fire while the Alara’jal tank fired its heavy cannon once again. It seemed to have a dramatic effect. Tahir could see the frontal formation of Shal’rein vehicles being ripped apart. Metal bits destroyed armor, and fragments of burning wreckage filled the scene. At first, it seemed completely promising. With all the forward vehicles destroyed, maybe it would halt the advancing army, blockade them, and bottleneck them in the valley.

However, those hopes were completely dashed. With each vehicle destroyed, the Shal’rein battle tanks and APCs easily rolled right over them. The marvels of ground combat engineering were at their finest. Shal’rein vehicles were no joke, being easily able to traverse most terrain without hindrance. Any personnel that were still inside their tanks were crushed under the weight of the moving juggernauts and advancing army.

“By Allah,” Tahir remarked. “They’re running their own people over.”

<Itreans have no mercy when it comes to war, > We’kal replied. <They were well aware of their actions the moment they entered this valley. Their courage and foolishness will be noted.>

The battle had just begun. More artillery rounds were striking the vehicles, but the advancing army was moving in faster than what was being destroyed. The wrecked hulks were being flattened by the never-ending wave behind them. Another enormous shell fired by the Alara’jal tank would detonate into the main column, causing catastrophic damage, obliterating one vehicle and damaging another.

The main howitzer gun of the tank was beginning to lower degree after degree. In less than a minute, another salvo fire of railgun shells rained down from the sky. Dozens of small hypervelocity shells would slam into the center section of the advancing army. It seemed devastating, but the Shal’rein vehicles were adamant, aiming and adjusting their railgun turrets and returning fire onto the UHN ships in orbit.

Meanwhile, the marine army was beginning to see more and more mortar rounds landing near their vicinity. A few marines would pick up an indicator signal and run for cover before the shell would land directly upon them. Some of the T’rintar railgun destroyers would quickly dismount from their anchors and move position in hopes of evading fire. The rate of explosions was continuing to pick up.

Outside the tank, Stone continued to monitor the scene of events. He could see that the artillery and bombardment had a partial effect but only slowed the Shal’rein down. He remained fearless.

“Master Sergeant Stone,” the ship captain called out on his comms. “We’re continuing bombardment, but the Shal’rein ground vehicles are making continuous adjustments to their targeting. Admiral Thiago was correct. Their gunnery skills are impressive.”

“What’s your status?” Stone asked.

“The UHN Augusta has taken some hits. The cruiser’s armor is holding, but I doubt the Shal’rein are going to keep shooting the same spot twice.”

“Maintain your bombardment, Captain.”

“Understood. Adjust fleet heading to mark 34 and prepare third salvo...”

The commlink came to an end.

The powerful blast from the Alara’jal tank’s heavy cannon was shocking, producing a tremor that reverberated through the ground. It was loud and overwhelming. Without hearing protection, it would jostle the brain like a bell. Even the snow would lightly bounce every time the howitzer went off.

Back inside the tank, Tahir continued to monitor the scene. The gray dots on the cliffside were being wiped out one by one. At least 7% of the Shal’rein army had been destroyed. However, they kept coming.

<The Shal’rein army have reached the 2nd to last turn in the valley pass, > We’kal said to Tahir. <When they reach the final turn, they will be in visual railgun range.>

The heavy cannon fired again. Tahir could see that the main gun was reducing its angle with each shot. It was now down to 29 degrees.

“Are we in danger yet?” Tahir asked.

<The Shal’rein are focusing their attacks on the UHN anti-aircraft batteries in the valley region, including the main army’s frontline. We are not their current primary target.>

“Sr’ina, you holding up there?” Tahir asked.

“I get to fight naked,” Sr’ina replied. “I’m having fun.”

The ammunition was still holding up. Each shot from the main cannon would cause some form of widespread damage. Each shell landed, resulting in the loss of a Shal’rein vehicle. The explosion alone was probably enough to kill the operators instantly. Tahir could imagine what a column of Alara’jal vehicles could do. No wonder their power in ground combat was 1st to none. However, his job was a lonely one, one that he wished were a string of Alara’jal combatants to repel this nonstop wave.

“So many,” Tahir remarked.

The marine hammer artillery was relentless, firing every 6 seconds. There were a few cases where the turrets made slight adjustments before continuing fire. However, it was becoming obvious that even their shelling wasn’t enough. Unless the shell struck directly, the Shal’rein vehicles appeared to be shrugging the blasts with ease. However, Tahir could see the railgun rounds that would begin striking from above. It would come in eight-second increments before it would stop. The shells were traveling so fast that they were difficult to see. Only the sounds of aerial thunder could be heard, along with the ground blasts when they either struck a vehicle or impacted the dirt.

<Alert, > We’kal announced. <Sensors tracking movement along the cliffside walls. Enhancing image.>

Tahir looked at a set of purple silhouettes climbing the ice and snow walls. They were quite large, moving on four legs and having long fin-like tails. They almost looked like giant armored crocodiles but with large enough digitigrade legs to move with ease. Their claws dug into the hard ice, and they continually moved up the walls in their desire to reach the top.

“What is that?” Tahir asked.

“Biomechs,” Tr’ina remarked.

<Targets identified as Shal’rein Kalashau Biomechs, standard battle mechs of the Shal’rein army. They are climbing the cliffside walls, most likely to assist in destroying the remaining anti-aircraft batteries.>

The man shook his head. “They got tanks. They got aircraft. They got mechs. Is there anything else they don’t have?”

<Even during the time of We’kal’s existence, Shal’rein armies were quite effective in combat, ensuring that every piece of surface could be taken.>

“Fat Mac!” Stone ordered Tahir. “Target those mechs. Destroy them before they reach the top!”

“Understood,” Tr’ina replied.

The main cannon turned slightly towards its direction. There appeared to be seven in total, three on one side and four on the other about halfway to the top cliffside. The main cannon fired. The heavy shell flew towards the direction it was aimed at. In several seconds, it landed not far from one of them. While it wasn’t a direct hit, the explosion rocked the side wall. Blast and shrapnel scorched the mech, causing it to fall and crash into the tanks below.

“I’m having a hard time targeting them!” Sr’ina yelled out.

<The mechs are using the cliffside to shield their ascent. We can only target one side.>

“Tr’ina,” Tahir directed her. “Tell Stone we can only hit half of them.”

“Yes,” she replied.

The main cannon fired again. Tahir noted that the mechs were somewhat slow. They almost appeared to be more designed to fight in the water rather than on land. However, this wasn’t stopping them from completing their objectives. Another explosion rocked the cliffside. This time, the shell struck more directly, ripping the mech in two and sending showering debris that flew in all directions. The other nearby mech took multiple hits from the shrapnel, cutting one of its legs off. Without proper mechanical control, the mech tumbled to the ground below.

<Unable to acquire firing solution on the remaining four mechs, > We’kal told Tahir. <They will reach the top of the cliffside in less than one minute.>

The Shal’rein APCs were getting closer. The explosions on the main battlefield were picking up more. There were four remaining anti-aircraft batteries. The mortar shells were extremely accurate, easily picking off each weapon installation one by one. Marines and T’rintar soldiers had to move more and more. Tahir could note the chaos of the event. T’rintar hovercraft could easily evade them, but occasionally, one would get riddled by shrapnel. A direct hit from the mortars was easily able to dispatch a single vehicle.

The mobile artillery vehicles were beginning to reverse course slowly. The hope was to help deprioritize them from the incoming Shal’rein army. However, this was only a temporary solution to a bigger problem. The battlefield continued to give a false sense of hope. The Shal’rein army seemed small even if they were widely thinned out in a mass-moving column. If the Shal’rein were moving in wide columns, the battle would have already been decided for them. An explosion landed not far from the great tank but did nothing.

Outside, Stone remained firm. He looked at the valley exit.

“Those Kalashau have reached the top of the cliffside,” Major Eleazar remarked.

“Fat Mac, maintain your fire on the Shal’rein army!” Stone ordered.

“What about those mechs?”

“We destroy them when they reach us. Bekra, tell the T’rintar to stand by and destroy them the moment they reach us.”

“Understood,” Bekra replied. She began speaking the Itrean language to the T’rintar soldiers.

“Major Eleazar, what’s the status of the Shal’rein army?”

“12% has been destroyed. We’ve lost 5% of ours. Master Sergeant, our artillery can only maintain the barrage for another 2 minutes before they run out of ammunition.”

“I’m aware of that, Major. Tell them to continue firing on the Shal’rein army for one more minute. The fleet has more ammunition than we do. We’ll let the enemy bleed themselves in. I need you to monitor the rock strata on the closing lip ahead of the valley exit. Provide all the geographical data to me when you pull it up.”

“ ... Aye, Master Sergeant,” he replied with a hint of confusion.

Stone could hear the whistling sound of a mortar shell approaching his position. The officer momentarily panicked, but Stone didn’t move. The enemy shell landed thirty feet ahead of him and exploded. A small amount of shrapnel hit the man’s power armor but didn’t pierce it. The Master Sergeant remained unphased and only focused on the battlefield. He only looked at the remaining shells on the great tank behind him.

Inside the Alara’jal tank, Tahir could see the Shal’rein battle mechs run across the cliffside surface. They were fast, capable of galloping around 130 kilometers an hour. Their great speeds would have easily allowed them to follow vehicles into battle. By now, the man could see them in greater detail. Their frames flashed their shiny purple armor. It was almost like seeing a mechanical crocodile with stout cheetah-like legs. Their tails served only as a propulsion ligament for underwater movement. They had glowing red eyes and three sets of weapon turrets on the top and hip sides. No doubt, for the Itreans, these mechs were probably the most powerful of them all.

They ran across the right cliffside. Their top turrets spun and fired on the remaining anti-aircraft batteries. However, they were now at the weapon’s angle of the UHN gun batteries. The powerful gatling guns of the cliff opened fire on the mechs. The Kalashau’s railguns were more effective, easily piercing the turret’s armor and cutting through them. Every five seconds, the mechs would fire in tandem, punching and rendering another one inoperable. Meanwhile, the gatling guns’ smaller bullets would mostly bounce off the armor. Only when fired in heavy concentration did it seem to do anything. The final battery managed to get its last act of defiance, knocking out one of the four mechs before the other three destroyed it.

Meanwhile, the orbital barrage continued. Another volley rained from the heavens onto the vehicles below as the tanks would return fire. Behind and below the Shal’rein mechs was a continuous stream of other vehicles. Hints of burning fires and smoke could be seen from the Shal’rein army.