Lonely Journeys is a collection of short stories from Expendable Resources. Marksman introduces Mouse, a young and slender framed Bastion Inc. marksman in a "fucked up little squabble of a civil war". The text in this blog is the first draft (with the typos and all) while the final version will be made available via Tablo.io.
Day 37
I shot a man today. My first one. I'm still not sure how I feel about it, which is why I'm writing this, I guess. This is my first assignment and I don't really know anyone around here so… I guess I just prefer to keep this stuff just for myself, ok?
It was a good kill. A soldier, a man with a gun. He was about half a klick from my position, but I could see him well enough. He was older than me, experienced and respected judging by the way he was giving commands and how others jumped to his orders. They were setting up a checkpoint on this side of the bridge on the road towards the town.
My spotter called him for a target. Gave me the distance and wind correction as we were tought, and then he told me to send it. You know, reach out and touch some one, right?
Right.
I looked at him through my scope as my bullet hit him. I had aimed for a headshot, but I my aim was off and I hit him in the throat instead. For a second or two everybody just froze, you know? Just for a second, and then the sound reached them; that unmistakable sound of a large caliber rifle. Everybody jumped for cover except the man with two obvious holes through his throat.
I must have missed his spine. He fell on one knee and tried to use his assault rifle to support him. There was so much blood. He made an effort to move towards cover, but he must have realised it to be a wasted effort as he just… sat down. Then he died, while still sitting.
It did not take long for the others to regain their wits and get a move on. An APC was driven between us and the dead guy, picked him up and then fucked off.
So how do I feel about all this? Is this what I expected when I joined Bastion Inc. for their marksman training? Is this what I want to keep on doing?
I guess so?
I'm not sorry for the man I killed. He would have done the same to me, of that I have no doubt. I suppose I'm the invader and he was a defender, but in this fucked up little squabble of a civil war who can tell? It's a job and it pays well, so does it even matter?
Yeah, I think I'm going to be good. Bring 'em on, right?
Day 45
We moved to a new OP or Observation Post yesterday, my spotter and I. People call him Sergei though he's not a Russian or even from Eastern Europe. Maybe it's a joke?
I might have been given a nickname, too. Mouse. A fucking Mouse? A joke indeed! I know I'm younger and more slender than most other guys here. So, a few nights ago someone noted that I look like a mouse among rats, and it stuck then and there. Fuck my life...
There's a third guy with us this time. Peters. Don't ask me if that is his real name or not, but he looks like a real badass to me. He doesn't talk much to me or Sergei unless there is something he wants us to do. Usually it is to stay out of his fucking way, as he puts it. He's older and he has scars, but most of them are old and faded. Sergei said he might be one of the founding men of the Bastion, but I don't think so. Those guys are executives with nice suits and big bonuses, they would not be in the shit with the rest of us.
No matter, Peters gives me orders and I follow. I have no problem with that. I might even learn something from him.
DAY 46
I almost died today! Fuck! I…
DAY 46 (later)
Ok, I'm good now. I think I am. I will be.
I was shot but my body armour held strong. Peters said I was lucky. He said the bullet hit my trauma plate in a steep angle so instead of the energy going straight at me it was directed to the side. Fuck you, Sergei, for laughing at me and the extra weight from my trauma plate - who's laughing now, huh?
The shot knocked me down on my arse, literally. I guess I turned or moved just at the right fraction of a second to get that glancing hit. A fraction of a second… that really is all it takes to separate the living from the dead? Peters grabbed me by my vest and dragged me like a ragdoll to cover. Sergei thought he had an idea from where the shot came and laid down some cover fire, but I don't think he hit anything or anyone.
There were no follow-up shots.
And what was I doing when I was shot? Going to take a piss like some amateur fuckup (which, I guess, I must be). Peters ordered us to relocate as soon as he saw I was not bleeding. I could tell he was not too pleased about us being discovered.
And it hurts, too, but I'll be damned to say that out loud.
DAY 48
We have observed no movement since I was shot. I was wondering if we are alone in the area, but Sergei disagreed. He took the map out and pointed that our OP is just next to a cluster of buildings that one of the enemy factions has previously used for cover. The fact that we have not seen anybody does not mean that there are no people to be seen.
This is a scouting mission to determine if the area has any enemy activity. Sure, we have a couple of drone swarms flying around and Bastion likely has access to satellites as well, but in the best intel comes by having people to take a proper look around.
So, that's what we are going to do. Walk over and take a proper look around. We move out at sunset.
Day 50
We are back at the base. All three of us, though Sergei is going for an extended leave given that he managed to misplace his left arm. Peters, he may have a few new scars but nothing shakes him. The man stands a titan among men, if you ask me. I have nothing but respect and awe towards him. Without him we would be dead.
And me? I'm fine. I'm going to have few scars of my own, but I'm fine. I did ok back there, Peters told me so.
We needed to know if the cluster of buildings were occupied so we went to have a look. Drone swarms had not detected any movement or heat signatures so that pretty much ruled out civilian presence, but not much else. If there were anybody in those buildings they really did not want to be seen. Makes one even wonder why I was shot? Maybe I wasn't the only careless idiot around and some other idiot just could not resist the opportunity I presented?
As we got closer to the buildings, Peters pointed out a good position for me to get comfortable with my rifle. It was a small hillside with a larger hill some way behind it, with some rocks and vegetation to provide cover. With a night scope and a silencer I should be in a good position to observe and provide cover, Peters said. Sergei went with Peters towards the buildings as I moved towards the pointed position.
As I moved, as silently as I could though I think my breathing was the loudest thing in the night, I realised I was for the first time completely on my own in what was very likely an enemy territory. Nobody would look over me and help me if I ran into shit. In fact, that was the very thing Peters and Sergei expected from me; to look over them and provide help, if needed.
I did not have to move far, just few hundred meters, and I counted myself lucky that nothing had happened as I prepared my position. After I gave my signal to Peters, he moved ahead with Sergei.
The first couple of building they went into were empty. There were no sign of recent activity. I did not observe any movement. The two drone swarmes kept on scouting the surrounding area with IR sensors. There was nothing to be seen.
The first sign of trouble was the 20mm round from an automated turret that went through Sergei's left arm just below the shoulder. His vest provided some protection, but most of his left side ribs were broken as well. It is unbelievable that the turret missed centre mass but you know, it's that fraction of a second that separates the living from the dead, right?
As the 20mm turret fired the first salvo the trap was tripped. I saw the first “gipsies” to get up and move towards Peters and Sergei. They were almost in the middle of a mine field, with GPCMs or General Purpose Crawler Mines now moving around them. I shot and detonated three “gipsies” before they got too close, but I think that was when Peters was wounded as he dragged Sergei to cover. The 20mm turret fired intermittently but it seemed to have trouble with targeting. Who knows how old or poorly maintained that unit was, but with 20mm it doesn't need to hit exactly.
I shot few more “gipsies” as they were moving towards the cover Peters and Sergei had taken, but could do little more to help from my position. I was, however, able to command one of the drone swarms to attack the turret: the IR sensors saw the bright glow of the hot barrel so the eight drones of the first swarm had no trouble diving into it. Each drone has a small explosive charge, which is usually used against softer targets, but it was enough to silence the turret.
With that I moved out and ran towards Peters' position. I did not see it, but between us there was another “gipsy”. It would have exploded once I got close enough to it, and that would have been the end of me then and there, except a drone from the second swarm flew at it and they both detonated before I got too close. I have never been more grateful for an AI guided swarm as I was in that moment, even when I was hit by shrapnel from both devises.
Long story short, Peters managed to keep Sergei alive for long enough to Combat MedEvac to reach us, while I destroyed few more “gipsies” as they were moving towards us, and we were airlifted back to base. There were no enemies in the area, just us and a host of ambushing drones. Whoever shot at me might have been an engineer maintaining them or it might have been just a try to lure us idiots to come closer.
It's a strange thing, though. One of the Combat MedEvac crew told me that they had been specifically kept in readiness in case Peters' needed them. That almost never happens; with Combat MedEvac whoever calls first is usually the one first served, but now they were told to ignore other calls? Maybe Sergei was right about Peters? On the other hand, if he was so important, why would he risk scouting some shithole village with just two guys and high hopes? Well, I should be grateful for the drone swarms.
Day 52
I haven't seen Peters since we got back to the base. The last I saw him was when I was treated by the medics and he said I did ok. Seemed like a high praise coming from a man like him!
I got a word from Sergei. He did die, and more than once, but they always managed to bring him back. Bastion might not have the resources some of the larger Merc Corporations have, but the company does have a rare reputation of doing right by its contractors. Sergei lost his arm and who knows what else, but I'm sure he is being taken care for.
For my part, I've been given few days off to lick my own wounds before my next assignment.
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