Ad Astra - The Alagore War

AA V1 Alagore, Chapter 13

"The Men and Women of the Minutemen and 5th Rangers, the enemy is upon us. The rumors are true that the enemy disabled the Bridge to Earth; however, our experts are working on it, and I am confident they will repair the portal quickly. However, it will take time.

You are soldiers of the United States, freedom fighters for the land of the free and home of the brave. When the enemy attacks, we will fight and not surrender. From the Private to the ranking commander, I will stand fast and face this threat. Time is the key, and we will perform our duty to God and Country. 

We all will hold out. Our country was built in dire situations. A hundred and four years ago, during the Siege of Bastogne, the 101st Airborne was surrounded by one of the most extreme Utopianists in 20th Century. For six days, the men at Bastogne withstood three Divisions against the NAZIs until the 3rd Army arrived and won. 

We are new to this world; however, the people of these lands requested our presence. We will not allow first contact with people in needed against the ideologies that we worked so hard to extinguish just to be defeated now. We will not show this world we can be easily defeated but will stand here and now and come out on top. No matter what. This is Colonel Hackett."

March, 5th, 2048 (Military Calendar)

Temple of Indolass, the former Confederacy of Daru'uie

Nevali Region, Aldrida, Alagore

*****

With a nearby blast, Captain Mathew Ryder was forced to take cover in a nearby sandbag bunker. Three other Rangers were also in the bunker, all stopping what they were doing and facing the sudden officer.

"I am fine," Ryder said. "Back to your jobs."

The three Rangers went back to their duties. One fired his machine gun at the ridge line while the additional provided support. The last Ranger had a range finder, directing mortar fire using pre-established markers as guidance.

The Rangers returned to their duties, and Ryder took a moment to look out and see the battleground. As predicted, the enemy took position among the ridgeline and started suppressive fire against their forces. Flechette rained upon the Americans from the enemy circiletum. Enemy artillery pounded the positions within the temple, just like what happened in Salva.

In return, tracers from the forward companies lit the valley as a hail of bullets, grenades, and rockets poured into the countryside. Mortar from the three company support platoons impacted the enemy positions to dislodge them. A string of 20mm sprayed the sky from the M911 Bolas C-RAM to counter the many incoming enemy shells. The remaining JLTVs and the remaining four Archers engaged the enemy.

With the Aristocracy on the ridge, Ryder told the range finder to focus the mortars on that position. To his eye confusion, he saw the ridgeline morphing, folding, and unfolding into and out of the cliff. From what he could theorize, mages are manipulated to the edge to protect their forces. Then, the ground disappeared, allowing the enemy infantry to utilize their ranged weapons. With the main path to the temple, the enemy crawlers had their shieldwall deployed, providing some protection for the advancing enemy.

An IRiSS stood, guarding one of the Hesco entrances. The robot soldier fired its M250 machine gun in bursts toward the enemy ridge occupied. An energy bolt impacted its right side, causing the robot to step back but regain footing.