“As men, we are all equal in the presence of death” - Publilius Syrus
From the Author: This story is set near the end of the HIE occupation of Europe and is pretty disturbing. Good sick twisted shit that I know some of you love about Shattered Citadel. Obviously I must state that I am no Islamophobe and that this story may be about a vicious Islamic Caliphate brutally killing and tormenting people, but the HIE is more a perversion of religion by evil ambitious men. Which SC has no shortage of. Enjoy with caution for those with weak stomachs. 02082011.
SC: Iron Crosses
HIE Occupied Germany, Europe, Earth [Sol] 26082068
Black smoke hovered over the entire valley, blocking out the sun. The smoke came from hundreds of fires that burned from the charred remains of a thousand destroyed fighting vehicles. This valley was the site of a minor battle, one of hundreds of such battles that were being waged as part of the Allies attempt to liberate Europe foot by painstaking foot. This valley used to be the home of a small German village surrounded by dense forest, but all that remained from its humble past was a stone church and countless dead trees. The smoke that hung over the valley like a fog suddenly parted as a fast moving transport helicopter sliced through and stopped just above the church. The Hornet transport helicopter circled above the stone church and landed alongside it, knocking over a few tombstones in the process. The rear door to the transport swung down to the ground with a heavy thud and six EUFOR soldiers rushed out and formed a half circle around the helicopter.
The Hornet was the European Unions main attack chopper and one of the few aircraft's still made in the E.U. It was designed by the British and Germans, its parts made from Swedish and Spanish resources, and it was all assembled in the E.U.'s industrial center of Ireland. The Hornet resembled its namesake animal in both looks and capabilities. The sleek helicopter was coated in thousands of scale-like armored plates made from reinforced carbon fiber. The Hornet was extremely nimble and fast. It could fly at full speed and stop into a hover and accelerate at fly speed again all in three seconds. The Hornet also had a cargo hold in its rear which could hold either six armored soldiers with their gear, a full medevac station, twenty robotic sentries, or a small vehicle like a dune buggy. The Hornet also had many built-in defense mechanisms against anti-air missiles and other airships. They ranged from the usual flares to its stealth capabilities. The Hornet gave off no more radar and heat signature then a large bird, it was also quiet. It only gave off a loud hum as it sliced through the air and only those close enough to feel its sting could hear it. The Hornet indeed carried a powerful sting. It was equipped with four Gatling chain guns, forty Venomstrike Air-to-Ground missiles, and one heavy laser cannon. The Hornet attack ships were also feared for its ability to reach a target undetected, swarm it, destroy it, and fly off before the enemy could respond. Sometimes those Hornets left robotic sentries behind to greet any Hegemony first responders.
“Good luck gentlemen.” The Hornets pilot lifted the helicopter off the ground and saluted the six men he had dropped twenty miles behind enemy lines. The lone Hornet sped back towards Allied territory just twenty feet off the ground. The occasional small arms fire would hit his Hornet with no effect. “Dumb asre wankers,” the pilot said out loud in his South London accent. Just ahead of him the ground began to shake and a large figure popped out of the ground. The pilot immediately recognized it as a CFR armored walker, but it was painted in an odd colour scheme of red, green and black. The pilot pushed that thought out of his head, acted on instinct and unleashed a volley of missiles at the giant war machine. The missiles slammed against the walker and tore it to pieces. It exploded in a giant amber fireball. The pilot breathed a sigh of relief, he had been lucky. A CFR walker ambush was almost always certain death for anyone to be unfortunate to be the victim of one. “He must have been a shit pilot.” He said to himself, but as he moved the helicopter forward it lurched violently by an unknown force. He slammed his head against the dashboard and blacked out.
He awoke to the sound of heavy boots kicking metal. He tried to move, but found it impossible to do so. The Hornet had crashed and he was pinned in its wreckage. He heard angry voices outside shout in a harsh language he recognized as Arabic. He knew that they were trying to capture him alive and to be a POW of the HIE was a fate worst then death. He had heard the stories from the very few men and women that somehow survived. He was determined not to be taken prisoner and spare himself the misery. He reached for his sidearm, but he could barely move his arms and gave up trying after exhausting himself. Breathing heavily all he could hope for was that he would die before they dragged him out of the downed chopper. He prayed that he would die in his sleep and allowed himself to fall into a deep slumber that was brought on by shock and blood loss.
Camp Divine Will, Unknown, HIE Occupied Europe, Earth [Sol] 29082068
“Wake up infidel!” He awoke with the sensation of electricity coming through his body. The Pilot screamed and twisted violently in the chair he was strapped half-naked in. A tall Arab stood before him in his black and gray camo's with a pair of jumper cables hooked up to a car battery. The Arab smiled at him and clapped his hands to brighten the light in the room. “Good. I was starting to get bored. What is your name?”
“Leftenant Jason Gates, Black Watch Regiment, British Army, EUFOR number UK – 8018162. That is all the information I am required to give under the Geneva Convention.”
The Arab started laughing uncontrollably and when he recovered he spoke again, “Geneva Convention?!” The Arab clamped the cables to Gates bare nipples and gave him a long high voltage shock. “You stupid Euroshit and your laws. Your laws mean nothing to me. Only Allah's word means anything and his words are clear. The good laws only apply to believers, not infidels.” The Arab gave him another shock and laughed as Gates chest hair sizzled and smoked. “What were you doing in Eurarabia? What business have you in our lands?”
“This is OUR land! It's called Europe you goddamn Arab!”
“Eurarabia was given to us by Allah. Allah made your infidel leaders incompetent and he made your armies weak. Allah made us as numerous as the sand in a desert within your very borders. Your lands were already ours before the Holy Islamic Empire even marched in. This land is now rightfully under the domain of Islam.” As if to press his point further the Arab gave Gates another long shock of electricity.
“FUCK YOU!” Gates screamed as he squirmed in his seat.
“No. Fuck you!” The Arab give him another shock, the longest of them all. “What were you doing in the Islamic Domain of Germany?”
“Nothing. Just a routine patrol that ended with me being shot down.”
“DON'T LIE TO ME! No patrols go in that deep. You were doing something out there. You can tell your pal Haseem.” The Arab smiled and oddly started to stroke Gates hair as a person would pet a dog.
“Just a patrol. My mission was simple. Find HIE targets of opportunity and terminate them.”
Haseem stared at him for a long minute with a look of disappointment on his face, he shook his head and shocked Gates again. “Why must you lie? I cared for you until you woke up and this is the thanks I get?” The Arab backed off from Gates and retrieved a small brown box from a table on the far side of the room. He took out a small burnt leather bound book and walked right up to Gates. Haseem grabbed Gates hair with one hand and smushed the book in Gates face with the other. “Who else was in your helicopter?! Where did you drop them off?!”
“My Hornet was empty! It was a routine patrol! Don't you rag heads understand?”
Haseem released Gates from his grasp and gave him a look as if he was deeply insulted. Haseem shook his head and removed a power drill from his uniforms waist belt. “We already established patrols do not go deep into Allah's domain and especially not alone. Do you think me stupid? A Hornet patrol is never less then five aircraft.” The Arab took the drill and drilled into Gates right hand.
Gates cried out in pain and screamed, “Fuck you rag head!”
Haseem cackled and drilled again into his right hand. “You know what I think? I think your full of shit. I think you flew a single Hornet to remain undetected and dropped off a six man team behind our lines. Worst yet, I think they were Jews. Unless that book I introduced you to is yours.” Haseem opened the leather bound book and threw it at Gates face.
“That's not mine. I have no fucking clue what that is?”
“Its a Torah! The book of the swine! It was found in the wreckage of your helicopter!” Haseem shouted as he drilled into Gates right kneecap. Gates howled in agony as the drill completely contorted his leg.
“That isn't mine! I'm Anglican!”
Haseem pulled the drill out of Gates knee and smiled. “There's only one way to find out.” Haseem placed the bloodied drill back in his belt and pulled out a long knife and menacingly waved it in front of Gates face. Gates instinctively leaned back as far as he could in his seat to avoid the knife. Haseem grabbed Gates by the belt buckle and in one swift motion cut through Gates belt, pants and undergarments. Haseem looked down at Gates naked groin and remarked, “Just as I suspected. A Jew.”
Gates looked down at his bloodied naked body and said “I can explain... I was circumcised as an infant because my mum gave birth to me in a Jewish hospital.”
“JEWISH HOSPITAL?! Only JEWS go there!”
“Look I had no control over that. It was the best hospital around and my parents insurance covered it.”
“Jews are such good liars... Do you expect me to believe that?” Haseem grabbed Gates by the genitals and tugged at them violently. He raised his knife to Gates face and smiled. “Do you know what we do to captured Jews?”
Gates groaned in agony as the Arab squeezed him hard and he lowered his knife to Gates genitals. “Oh God! I am not Jewish! I'm Anglican! I swear to Jesus fucking Christ that I am no Jew!”
Haseem laughed loudly and said gleefully, “All of you swine say the same thing every single time. I am going to enjoy making you into a woman.”
The door to the room suddenly swung open and another Arab entered and shouted a short command in Arabic to Gates torturer. The new Arab left and the smile on Haseems face vanished. Haseem twisted Gates genitals savagely upwards as he lifted the knife up and swooped it down at his groin. Gates closed his eyes and screamed liked a wild man.
“Open your eyes!” Haseem punched Gates in the face and Gates opened his eyes. The Arab was holding a fistful of pubic hair and blew it on Gates face. Gates looked down and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he was still intact. “You pussy. It is the will of our Prophet that all current prisoners be spared for the 'road of submission.' You won't die today, but soon you will.” The Arab left the room and Gates silently cried in the dim room. Bloodied, emasculated, and naked.
From the Author: This story is set near the end of the HIE occupation of Europe and is pretty disturbing. Good sick twisted shit that I know some of you love about Shattered Citadel. Obviously I must state that I am no Islamophobe and that this story may be about a vicious Islamic Caliphate brutally killing and tormenting people, but the HIE is more a perversion of religion by evil ambitious men. Which SC has no shortage of. Enjoy with caution for those with weak stomachs. 02082011.
SC: Iron Crosses
HIE Occupied Germany, Europe, Earth [Sol] 26082068
Black smoke hovered over the entire valley, blocking out the sun. The smoke came from hundreds of fires that burned from the charred remains of a thousand destroyed fighting vehicles. This valley was the site of a minor battle, one of hundreds of such battles that were being waged as part of the Allies attempt to liberate Europe foot by painstaking foot. This valley used to be the home of a small German village surrounded by dense forest, but all that remained from its humble past was a stone church and countless dead trees. The smoke that hung over the valley like a fog suddenly parted as a fast moving transport helicopter sliced through and stopped just above the church. The Hornet transport helicopter circled above the stone church and landed alongside it, knocking over a few tombstones in the process. The rear door to the transport swung down to the ground with a heavy thud and six EUFOR soldiers rushed out and formed a half circle around the helicopter.
The Hornet was the European Unions main attack chopper and one of the few aircraft's still made in the E.U. It was designed by the British and Germans, its parts made from Swedish and Spanish resources, and it was all assembled in the E.U.'s industrial center of Ireland. The Hornet resembled its namesake animal in both looks and capabilities. The sleek helicopter was coated in thousands of scale-like armored plates made from reinforced carbon fiber. The Hornet was extremely nimble and fast. It could fly at full speed and stop into a hover and accelerate at fly speed again all in three seconds. The Hornet also had a cargo hold in its rear which could hold either six armored soldiers with their gear, a full medevac station, twenty robotic sentries, or a small vehicle like a dune buggy. The Hornet also had many built-in defense mechanisms against anti-air missiles and other airships. They ranged from the usual flares to its stealth capabilities. The Hornet gave off no more radar and heat signature then a large bird, it was also quiet. It only gave off a loud hum as it sliced through the air and only those close enough to feel its sting could hear it. The Hornet indeed carried a powerful sting. It was equipped with four Gatling chain guns, forty Venomstrike Air-to-Ground missiles, and one heavy laser cannon. The Hornet attack ships were also feared for its ability to reach a target undetected, swarm it, destroy it, and fly off before the enemy could respond. Sometimes those Hornets left robotic sentries behind to greet any Hegemony first responders.
“Good luck gentlemen.” The Hornets pilot lifted the helicopter off the ground and saluted the six men he had dropped twenty miles behind enemy lines. The lone Hornet sped back towards Allied territory just twenty feet off the ground. The occasional small arms fire would hit his Hornet with no effect. “Dumb asre wankers,” the pilot said out loud in his South London accent. Just ahead of him the ground began to shake and a large figure popped out of the ground. The pilot immediately recognized it as a CFR armored walker, but it was painted in an odd colour scheme of red, green and black. The pilot pushed that thought out of his head, acted on instinct and unleashed a volley of missiles at the giant war machine. The missiles slammed against the walker and tore it to pieces. It exploded in a giant amber fireball. The pilot breathed a sigh of relief, he had been lucky. A CFR walker ambush was almost always certain death for anyone to be unfortunate to be the victim of one. “He must have been a shit pilot.” He said to himself, but as he moved the helicopter forward it lurched violently by an unknown force. He slammed his head against the dashboard and blacked out.
He awoke to the sound of heavy boots kicking metal. He tried to move, but found it impossible to do so. The Hornet had crashed and he was pinned in its wreckage. He heard angry voices outside shout in a harsh language he recognized as Arabic. He knew that they were trying to capture him alive and to be a POW of the HIE was a fate worst then death. He had heard the stories from the very few men and women that somehow survived. He was determined not to be taken prisoner and spare himself the misery. He reached for his sidearm, but he could barely move his arms and gave up trying after exhausting himself. Breathing heavily all he could hope for was that he would die before they dragged him out of the downed chopper. He prayed that he would die in his sleep and allowed himself to fall into a deep slumber that was brought on by shock and blood loss.
Camp Divine Will, Unknown, HIE Occupied Europe, Earth [Sol] 29082068
“Wake up infidel!” He awoke with the sensation of electricity coming through his body. The Pilot screamed and twisted violently in the chair he was strapped half-naked in. A tall Arab stood before him in his black and gray camo's with a pair of jumper cables hooked up to a car battery. The Arab smiled at him and clapped his hands to brighten the light in the room. “Good. I was starting to get bored. What is your name?”
“Leftenant Jason Gates, Black Watch Regiment, British Army, EUFOR number UK – 8018162. That is all the information I am required to give under the Geneva Convention.”
The Arab started laughing uncontrollably and when he recovered he spoke again, “Geneva Convention?!” The Arab clamped the cables to Gates bare nipples and gave him a long high voltage shock. “You stupid Euroshit and your laws. Your laws mean nothing to me. Only Allah's word means anything and his words are clear. The good laws only apply to believers, not infidels.” The Arab gave him another shock and laughed as Gates chest hair sizzled and smoked. “What were you doing in Eurarabia? What business have you in our lands?”
“This is OUR land! It's called Europe you goddamn Arab!”
“Eurarabia was given to us by Allah. Allah made your infidel leaders incompetent and he made your armies weak. Allah made us as numerous as the sand in a desert within your very borders. Your lands were already ours before the Holy Islamic Empire even marched in. This land is now rightfully under the domain of Islam.” As if to press his point further the Arab gave Gates another long shock of electricity.
“FUCK YOU!” Gates screamed as he squirmed in his seat.
“No. Fuck you!” The Arab give him another shock, the longest of them all. “What were you doing in the Islamic Domain of Germany?”
“Nothing. Just a routine patrol that ended with me being shot down.”
“DON'T LIE TO ME! No patrols go in that deep. You were doing something out there. You can tell your pal Haseem.” The Arab smiled and oddly started to stroke Gates hair as a person would pet a dog.
“Just a patrol. My mission was simple. Find HIE targets of opportunity and terminate them.”
Haseem stared at him for a long minute with a look of disappointment on his face, he shook his head and shocked Gates again. “Why must you lie? I cared for you until you woke up and this is the thanks I get?” The Arab backed off from Gates and retrieved a small brown box from a table on the far side of the room. He took out a small burnt leather bound book and walked right up to Gates. Haseem grabbed Gates hair with one hand and smushed the book in Gates face with the other. “Who else was in your helicopter?! Where did you drop them off?!”
“My Hornet was empty! It was a routine patrol! Don't you rag heads understand?”
Haseem released Gates from his grasp and gave him a look as if he was deeply insulted. Haseem shook his head and removed a power drill from his uniforms waist belt. “We already established patrols do not go deep into Allah's domain and especially not alone. Do you think me stupid? A Hornet patrol is never less then five aircraft.” The Arab took the drill and drilled into Gates right hand.
Gates cried out in pain and screamed, “Fuck you rag head!”
Haseem cackled and drilled again into his right hand. “You know what I think? I think your full of shit. I think you flew a single Hornet to remain undetected and dropped off a six man team behind our lines. Worst yet, I think they were Jews. Unless that book I introduced you to is yours.” Haseem opened the leather bound book and threw it at Gates face.
“That's not mine. I have no fucking clue what that is?”
“Its a Torah! The book of the swine! It was found in the wreckage of your helicopter!” Haseem shouted as he drilled into Gates right kneecap. Gates howled in agony as the drill completely contorted his leg.
“That isn't mine! I'm Anglican!”
Haseem pulled the drill out of Gates knee and smiled. “There's only one way to find out.” Haseem placed the bloodied drill back in his belt and pulled out a long knife and menacingly waved it in front of Gates face. Gates instinctively leaned back as far as he could in his seat to avoid the knife. Haseem grabbed Gates by the belt buckle and in one swift motion cut through Gates belt, pants and undergarments. Haseem looked down at Gates naked groin and remarked, “Just as I suspected. A Jew.”
Gates looked down at his bloodied naked body and said “I can explain... I was circumcised as an infant because my mum gave birth to me in a Jewish hospital.”
“JEWISH HOSPITAL?! Only JEWS go there!”
“Look I had no control over that. It was the best hospital around and my parents insurance covered it.”
“Jews are such good liars... Do you expect me to believe that?” Haseem grabbed Gates by the genitals and tugged at them violently. He raised his knife to Gates face and smiled. “Do you know what we do to captured Jews?”
Gates groaned in agony as the Arab squeezed him hard and he lowered his knife to Gates genitals. “Oh God! I am not Jewish! I'm Anglican! I swear to Jesus fucking Christ that I am no Jew!”
Haseem laughed loudly and said gleefully, “All of you swine say the same thing every single time. I am going to enjoy making you into a woman.”
The door to the room suddenly swung open and another Arab entered and shouted a short command in Arabic to Gates torturer. The new Arab left and the smile on Haseems face vanished. Haseem twisted Gates genitals savagely upwards as he lifted the knife up and swooped it down at his groin. Gates closed his eyes and screamed liked a wild man.
“Open your eyes!” Haseem punched Gates in the face and Gates opened his eyes. The Arab was holding a fistful of pubic hair and blew it on Gates face. Gates looked down and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he was still intact. “You pussy. It is the will of our Prophet that all current prisoners be spared for the 'road of submission.' You won't die today, but soon you will.” The Arab left the room and Gates silently cried in the dim room. Bloodied, emasculated, and naked.
NEW BUJUMBURA
SC: Iron Cross
Tue, 2nd August, 2011
A EUFOR helicopter pilot gets shot down over HIE occupied Europe where he endures torture and crucification. A story set in WW3 based on the Shattered Citadel Universe.
Gates woke up to a kick to the head and was lifted off the ground. He staggered around in a daze and was pushed out of his dank cell into a large line of marching prisoners, the other prisoners showed signs of malnourishment and torture. Many of them had trouble walking upright, but still they marched because if they fell out of the line they would be cut down by the Islamist guards. Gates right knee was still badly wounded, but he had made himself a splint over the night and painfully marched on it. No one said a word as they marched out of the prison and along what was once the autobahn. The autobahn's once smooth road was now cracked and cratered with the smoldering remains of hundreds of abandoned cars. Many of those cars were from the earliest days of the war, belonging to Germans who had been unfortunate enough to be caught in the rapid Hegemony advance. The formation of prisoners suddenly were made to stop in front of a downed Lufthansa Airbus 380 in the middle of the autobahn. The HIE soldiers guarding the prisoners pointed to a large pile of iron planks welded together into crosses by the downed commercial jet.
The leader of the HIE soldiers spoke in a loud voice that could be heard by everyone. “It Is the will of the Prophet that every infidel here be nailed to the symbol of the false god. Your bodies will adorn this road and serve as a warning to the enemies of Allah. That they must submit to him or they will all die in agony!”
The crowd of prisoners groaned loudly and obediently made a line. Each prisoner picked out a cross and carried it to wherever they were instructed to by the HIE soldiers. The HIE soldiers barked orders to the prisoners to lay down on their iron cross so that they could be bolted onto the cross. Once the prisoners were bolted, the HIE soldiers pressed a few prisoners to raise the cross up so it could be bolted down into the street. The HIE soldiers did this with such practiced efficiency that they crucified half of the mass of prisoners in under an hour.
The line thinned out and Gates chose a large iron cross that he figured could support his body. He had seen what the Islamic soldiers did to those who were “too heavy” or “too large” for their crosses. They impaled them on a long steel spike, much like a kebab. Gates made note of the agonizing cries of those who were impaled and figured cruxification was a much more sensible death. The HIE soldiers reached Gates and ushered him to a spot along the road about six feet from another man who had just been crucified. Gates dragged the heavy steel cross to the spot and dropped it on road with a loud thud. “Alright lads. Let's do this.” Gates told his executioners. The HIE soldiers seized him and cut off the little bit of clothing he had on and laid him naked over the cross. They held him down on the cross and bolted him to the cross through his wrists and through both of his ankles with one bolt. They did it so fast that Gates felt one overwhelming sensation of pain and passed out.
Gates woke up out of breath. He was suffocating from his own body weight. The forces of gravity were working against him. The cross forced him to slump forward and when he did it was uncomfortable to breathe because of the pressure on his chest. Gates tried hard to keep his body upright on the cross and used his leg muscles to do so, but eventually he would tire out or cramp up. He would then be back to slumping on the cross and back to breathing painfully until he mustered enough strength to pick himself up again. He went through this cycle for what seemed like forever, but he knew it was probably only a few hours.
“HEY YOU!!!” A nearby voice called out. Gates had ignored the dying screams, moans, and pleas of those around him, but this man seemed to be calling out directly towards him.
“What?” Gates said meekly.
“Are you American?!”
“You talking to me?!”
“Da!”
“Fuck no, I'm English!”
“Oh, you look American!”
“Who are you?!” Gates lifted up his head and looked around. There was no HIE soldier in sight. Both sides of the autobahn had an endless line of men nailed to iron crosses that went far into the horizon. He looked at the other dying men off in the distance in an almost detached amusement as if he was staring at a painting in a museum. He almost laughed at the stupidity of it all. The reckless waste of iron by the HIE which could have been melted down and used in a million other more useful means.
“OVER HERE!!! To your right!”
“I mean WHO are you?! EUFOR?! CFR?!”
“I am what you would call a Captain! The names Vladimir Akulov!”
“I shouldn't be talking to you. Your the enemy.” Gates said sneering.
“What?!” Akulov said trying to understand what he said, he was too far away to hear him clearly when he spoke so low.
“Piss off Ivan!”
“Fuck you comrade! Were all dead men now!” Vladimir went off on a loud tirade in Russian. Gates said nothing in response, he didn't want to waste another breath talking to this man. He ignored his insults and just focused on his breathing until he finally went to sleep completely exhausted from the effort of keeping himself from slumping.
Gates woke up again out of breath, but he immediately noticed the thunderous sound of thousands of marching heavy boots. He was surprised he hadn't woke up before to that ungodly noise, but he assumed that it had something to do with the fact he had exhausted himself. He didn't have to look up to see that the entire autobahn was full of HIE troops. They moved in a brisk pace and took almost no notice of the dead and dying men displayed all along the sides of the road. The HIE soldiers were in a hurry to reinforce their positions up north in what was once the German city of Hamburg. Hamburg was the site of one of their greatest victories in the war some six years ago, but now it was on the front line of the Allies push to liberate Europe. Behind HIE controlled Europe and advancing through what was the Baltic states was the Hegemony. Regrouped, reinforced, and out for blood. The Allies and the Hegemony had shifted their war aims in Europe and now both sides were determined to push the HIE out of the continent. The Holy Islamic Empire had split from the Hegemony and attacked both the Allies and the Hegemony with ruthless efficiency, smashing through both belligerent powers in Europe and Asia. The HIE had waited until the CFR and China had modernized the HIE military industrial complex and its weaponry. The HIE had waited for the perfect time to launch its all-out assault, when both sides were exhausted from the conflict and at its weakest. While the world powers were tearing itself apart the HIE was holding back and feigning military impotence until their armies marched forth on what their divine prophet called the “Great Purge.” Now The Allies and the Hegemony was attacking the HIE from two fronts in an attempt to check the rapid advance of the Holy Islamic Empire.
The HIE soldiers marching north were dirty and tired. Irregulars and regular HIE troops were intermingled with each other. They had been pulled from one front to go fight in another that was under attack. These men had successfully repelled a Hegemony attack in the southeast and now they were heading to the northwest to stop the Allies. These men were at the brink of exhaustion and on their fifth day without sleep. Even the wonder drug that made them invincible was starting to fail. They were in such a sleepless daze that the HIE soldiers completely ignored the crucified men. Normally seeing so many infidels reaping Allah's good judgment would inspire religious fervor, jubilation, and pride. Instead the formation of soldiers silently moved north and took a full five hours to pass from front to end.
An hour since the last HIE soldier passed, the survivors around Gates started to talk and scream once more. Akulov began shouting to one of his neighbors in Russian across the way. As Gates started to feel depressed for the first time since being nailed to the cross. Before he was detached from his own dying self, but for no particular reason at all despair began to overwhelm him all of a sudden. Akulov across from him was laughing out loud with his crucified neighbor.
“Eh, Vladimir!” Gates shouted. “Whats so goddam funny?!”
“You wouldn't get it! It doesn't translate well from Russian!” Akulov replied. After a long moment he spoke again. “You still shy comrade?!”
“Leftenant Gates, British Army!”
“Well I already told you my name, but that sorry sack of shit next to me is Ivan Teposky! He doesn't speak any English! Your lucky! He's from Georgia! They're as dumb as dirt!”
“Your CFR right?! I just assumed!”
“Da! I am CFR, I was a walker pilot! A damn good one until the HIE turned on us and captured me while I was on the shitter! The division of HIE soldiers assigned to our forward operating base north of Berlin turned on us suddenly and we were overrun in two minutes flat! The HIE seized our weapons, armor and walkers! From what I hear that happened in every CFR base in Europe! They held me for months, beat me a lot and even threatened to cut my dick off more times then I could count!” Akulov said with a shiver.
Gates laughed out loud almost crying from the laughter. “They tried to cut YOUR dick off?!”
Akulov was visibly angered by the laughter and screamed, “HOW THE FUCK IS THAT FUNNY?!”
Gates smiled and replied with a grin, “looks like the rag heads have a case of penis envy! They tried to cut mine off too! Thought I was Jewish!”
“Let me guess cause your snipped?!”
Gates gave the Russian's naked body a once over with his eyes and laughed because he was also circumcised. “Were you born in a Jewish hospital also?!”
“We don't have those kind of places in the CFR!”
“So how did you...!”
“I did it on a dare!”
“What?! Did it hurt?!”
“Not at all! That is until I sobered up!” Both men laughed. They talked well into the night. About anything and everything that did not involve the war. The days passed slowly on the cross and after the end of the third day the two men no longer spoke. Not from loss of subjects to speak about, but from thirst. They could no longer speak
“Gates! Gates! GATES! Wake the hell up!”
Gates opened his eyes and felt a drop of water roll down his face. He had no strength left in his body. Not even enough to pick his head up. Another drop of water rolled down his face and then another until a torrential downpour of rain erupted all around him. The water rolled down his face and he just opened his mouth. He cautiously drank a small amount and thanked God that it wasn't acid rain. It was actual rain water. He didn't remember when was the last time it rained like that, three weeks ago maybe? He lifted his head up with renewed strength and opened his mouth as wide as possible and drank in huge gulps. He had no idea when the next time it would rain. The rain suddenly stopped, but he had drank his fill. He went to sleep again and awoke to the soft whimper of crying. “Vladimir! Is that you?”
“No. It's Ivan. He missed the rain and is going to die.” Akulov said matter-of-factly.
Gates heard Akulov loud and clear from across the autobahn. He looked up and around and everyone as far as he could see was dead. The dead were being consumed by the birds on their crosses. The only sounds he could hear was the low dying groans of Ivan and the crowing of birds feasting on human flesh in the distance. The two men said nothing. They both just watched as Ivan slowly lost his battle for survival and died convulsing on his cross. “Did you not tell him?”
“I tried. He didn't wake.” Akulov grinned and then asked, “Tell me left-tenant Gates. How did you end up here? With me? Nailed to a cross.”
“Two CFR walkers got the jump on me and shot down my Hornet.”
“You survived one of our ambushes?!”
“I was actually able to take out the first walker which hesitated, but another was behind me and blew off my tail.”
“So did these walkers take out the other Hornets in your swarm?”
“I was alone.”
“BULLSHIT! I cannot believe that. If it were me piloting that first walker... you would have been dead... twice.”
“My normal response to that would have been, 'I'm glad you weren't piloting that walker,' but here I am nailed to a fucking cross. I would have preferred the quick death. I honestly did not think I'd die this way... I have new found appreciation for Jesus now.”
“If it makes you feel better Gates. I would have given you the quick death.”
“Thanks buddy.”
There was a long moment of silence until Akulov spoke again, “Gates, are you sure it was a CFR walker?”
“I know what a CFR walker looks like.”
“I'm not doubting your skills as a Hornet pilot, but you have no idea how much this is bothering me. There is no way our walker pilots are that incompetent. What color were the walkers? I can tell you what division they were from.”
“I don't remember exactly. I was trying to survive. I think green, red and black.”
Akulov giggled like a schoolboy and smiled. “I fucking knew it! Those are rag head colors.” Akulov spit on the ground in disgust. “What an embarrassment. They are running around Europe with our walkers making a joke out of them.”
“I thought you guys had some sort of safety mechanism to prevent them from falling into enemy hands?”
“You know I can't tell you, that's classified.”
“Weren't you the one who said, 'were all dead men.' What the fuck does it matter now?”
“I wanted to know your name. I wasn't asking for nuclear launch codes.”
“Vlad, do you remember how I told you how I was having trouble breathing.” Gates said changing the subject. “I don't have that problem any more, but my right leg hurts like hell.”
“I told you. You'd get used to it.” Akulov looked down at Gates leg and saw that his right leg was now turning black. It had become infected and soon a fever would set in and kill him.
“How's my leg look?”
“It looks like shit.”
“That bad?”
“Were both dead men anyways. At least you won't die of thirst like me.”
Gates chuckled. “Oddly enough I find that comforting.” A loud succession of thunderous sounds in the distance suddenly interrupted their conversation. “Those sound like 155 millimeter Howitzers shells. Most likely an Allied Crusader. About twenty-five miles from here.”
“I agree except I think it was closer. Fifteen miles west of here.”
“Do you think they'll come and rescue us?”
“You? Maybe. Me? They would probably laugh and leave me here to die. It's what my people would do.”
“I'll ask them to take you with us.”
“I'd rather not be a Allied POW. I belong free with my people. If I can't have that... then it is best I be dead.”
“You call living in the CFR being free?”
“Yes. We may not vote to have men in powdered wigs running around to represent us, but we are prosperous, we have everything we need, and we have our PRIDE back. I believe in it. So do the people of the Motherland. It is not perfect, but what system is? Look at the Americans. Their democracy made them weak and they are now neither free or prosperous.”
“You know they say the same about democracy?”
“Which part?”
“The perfect part. Also Akulov the British House of Commons no longer wear powdered wigs. Only our judges do.” The sound of artillery returned and it did not stop for what seemed like a day. Both men eventually went to sleep to the rhythmic sound of explosions churning the Earth in the distance.
Gates awoke dripping in sweat. He felt hot and thirsty. He knew his infected leg had given him a fever and he was losing precious water with each drop of sweat. As the sweat rolled down his face he desperately tried to lap it back up with his tongue. He would move his head to try and guild his salty sweat back into his mouth.
Gates heard Akulov screaming in Russian. He looked up and saw him squirming in his cross, shaking off the birds that tried to climb on him. Gates looked around and saw that the birds had consumed everyone around them. He suddenly felt a sharp pain in his right leg. He looked down and completely freaked out. There were a dozen birds on his leg, ripping off bits of his flesh with their beaks. He hadn't felt it before because they were eating the dead flesh of his infected leg, but once they reached healthy flesh his brain screamed “PAIN.” Gates shook violently on the cross and the birds took flight. They circled around him and landed on his arms. They started to angrily peck at his arms and head. He screamed and shook, but they would just fly off for a moment and return to peck. A bird landed on his right hand and bit his finger. Gates closed his hand and trapped the bird. With all of his might he squeezed and felt with great satisfaction as the small hallow bones of the bird snapped. He felt its warm blood flow out of his fingers and the two drill holes he had in the middle of his hand. The other birds took flight and cautiously circled him again. He dropped the dead bird from his grasp and it fell to the ground. A few of the birds went down to eat their fallen comrade, but the remaining birds flew directly at his head. As if looking to avenge their avian friend. Gates screamed loudly all sorts of profanities as they all pecked at his head and face. Clearly going for his eyes. Gates suddenly turned his face and bit down on the head of one of the birds going in for a peck. He bit down so hard that he cleanly bit its head off. The headless bird danced on his shoulder and knocked the other birds off. It fell to the floor and stopped moving. The birds on his body now took flight and landed on the ground in front of his cross. They stared at him with their cold black eyes. Gates stared back at the assembled flock of birds and spit the birds beak and pieces of skull at them. They flew up in a panic, hitting each other as they ascended and flew off into the distance. The birds on Akulov heard the screech of their compatriots and flew off with them.
“Thank you Gates. Whatever you did worked.”
“I pulled an Ozzie.” Gates said smiling to himself.
“Who?”
“Ozzie Osborne of Black Sabbath. You know 'Crazy Train?' 'War Pigs?'”
“I don't know who that is.”
“Well he was a famous rock star and he bit the head off of a bat once.”
“You bit one of those birds head off?”
“Yes I did.”
“Good. I hope it was the one that got my eye.”
Gates looked up at Akulov and his face was covered in a yellow jelly-like substance. The stem of his left eye was dangling from his eye hole. “They will try again, but not until were a lot weaker.”
The next day came and went and Gates fever became worst. He started to hallucinate and started to ramble incoherently. He started to think he was back in Manchester sitting on his arse eating digestives while watching the Sky One marathon of Dr. Who. Gates looked down from his couch in fascination as a group of Cybermen stood staring up at him. “Shoot me you rag heads!” Akulov's voice brought him back to reality and the Cybermen changed into four HIE soldiers in heavy body armor. They ignored Akulov and were preparing some sort of bomb. “Shoot me! SHOOT ME! FUCK ALLAH!”
One of the HIE soldiers understood that and stood up. His helmet retracted into his suit and he tossed his rifle aside.. The other men worked frantically on the bomb as he walked up to Akulov and pulled a long sword from his back. “What did you say infidel?”
“You heard me Muhammad.”
“I will make you cry for your bitch of a mommy. I will cut pieces off of you until you die. Starting with your dick!” Upon hearing that both Akulov and Gates started laughing uncontrollably. The HIE soldier was clearly taken aback by their response. The man recovered and said, “I will see how funny you think this is after I shove your own dick in your mouth.”
“You guys are queer.” Akulov said chuckling. He spit down on the HIE soldier and hit him on his exposed face. The HIE soldier screamed in Arabic and lifted his sword up. Akulov flinched as a loud crack followed by a warm splatter hitting his naked body. Akulov opened his eyes and the HIE soldier stood with half of his head missing. The other HIE soldiers working on the bomb screamed out in Arabic as bullets from both sides of the autobahn hit them. The barrage of bullets tore them to pieces and they died on top of the bomb. Their blood sipping into the bomb and completely ruining it. The firing continued across the autobahn and just narrowly missed hitting Gates head. Both Gates and Akulov screamed and the firing suddenly stopped.
“YOU GUYS ALIVE?!” A voice from the west side of the autobahn said in a heavy German accent. Another voice said the same thing in Russian in the east side.
“YES WE ARE ALIVE! STOP SHOOTING!” Gates and Akulov said in their respective languages. Low voices could be heard from both sides and finally two men, one from each side, cautiously stepped out of the relative safety of the treeline. They looked at each other suspiciously and walked towards the closest man nailed to a cross. They were combat medics. One Allied and the other CFR. The medics evaluated the two men and then walked back towards the treeline. They looked back once they reached the treeline. They had never seen a live enemy so close before. A long pause passed and then from the CFR side came out a group of seven men, unarmed and hoisting a large white flag with a red cross on it. The Allied side also sent out a small rescue party shortly after. The Allied group went to Gates cross and cut him down with a light saw. They carefully laid him down on the street and pumped him full of morphine. Akulov could be heard screaming in the distance as the CFR rescue team tried to pry the bolts from his hands. Gates screamed out for his friend in a drugged up rage and the Allied medics noticed it. One of the Allied medics slowly walked up to the CFR team and handed them a syringe of morphine. They looked at the medic in disbelief and smiled. Thanking him in Russian. They injected Akulov with morphine and finally both men were released from their cross. Both sides went back behind the treeline and marched in different directions.
HMS Harry the Lion, The Huellok Empire, High Orbit Over Hukillo [Thiro]
“Fuck that. There is no way we're going to work with a bunch of greasy Ivans.” A British soldier said to another in the mess hall.
“Fuck you and fuck your stupid king.” A Russian said after he overheard the European speak to his buddy.
“You better take that back lad.” The Brit said clearly offended.
“Or you'll do what?” The Russian soldier stood up and a hundred other Russians stood up with him in the mess hall.
The Brit leaped across the table and tried to punch the Russian. The Russian ducked out of the way and jabbed him in the side. The mess hall between the Russian and European section erupted into a massive brawl. Only the Chinese sitting in their section sat peacefully eating their meals. Completely ignoring the battle raging right by them. Two men clad in body encasing armor burst into the mess hall from opposite sides. “STAND DOWN! STAND DOWN!” They both shouted in English and Russian.
“What the fuck is the matter with all of you?!” The assembled Europeans immediately stopped. They loved their general, he was a soldiers general and they had the utmost respect for him. He had saved them more times then they count from both the enemy and the stupidity of the brass. “We are all going to be one happy family, yes?!” The European men nodded and murmured, “yes” in unison like children caught doing a bad thing. The Russian Colonel was talking to his men and they also quickly fell into line. The soldiers started to clean up the mess they made together.
The Russian Colonel walked up to the General and saluted. “I am sorry about that. They should know better.”
“It's alright. No harm done. Just a few bruised egos. Whats your name Colonel?”
“Akulov, Sir.”
“Akulov?!” The General lowered his helmet and smiled.
The Russian Colonel stepped back and lowered his helmet also. His robotic eye zooming in on the General's face and cried out, “GATES!”
Both men embraced each other and started to cry uncontrollably. They shook in each others arms as the soldiers around them stopped and stared at them. They had never seen their commanders cry or even show any real emotions. They stood and uncomfortably watched the hardest men they knew breakdown. “It is good to see your alive old friend.” Gates said wiping a tear from his eye.
“We're hard men to kill.” Akulov said with a grin.
“Indeed we are. Indeed we are.”