TRACK 10 –

SILENT MOUSE

“What do you think Chief Silent Mouse?” Burrowing Badger asked, his voice a whisper.

“I said not to call me Chief, it’s Sergeant or Sarge.” I Replied.

“My bad, Sergeant Silent Mouse, what do you think?” HE asked again.

“It’s Sergeant or Sarge not the whole thing.” I explained.

He just gave me a blank look.

“Never mind. What do I think? I think we have a big fucking problem on our hands here. The War Shaman would call it a clusterfuck, Billy and Patty would call it a giant ball of arse shitting fuck all.” I said softly, holding the binoculars to my eyes as I surveyed the village before us as I chuckled quietly at my joke.

Burrowing Badger gave me the side eye but otherwise stayed quiet. I returned my attention to the occupied village, though my thoughts were torn. Even since War Shaman Law had given us these new abilities my mind had been a little confused. I kept getting glimpses of memories that weren’t my own, at least I thought they weren’t. A man’s life kept haunting my dreams and it felt as if it was my own and not my own. His name was Jeremy and he had been a warrior.

“Are you listening Sergeant Silent Mouse?” Burrowing Badger asked.

I pulled the binoculars from my eyes and glared at the young scout. He looked away and had the decency to act abashed. I grunted and turned back to the village as I thought things through. Just fucking deal with it and act like a man. I grunted at thought then grunted and shook my head. That wasn’t my normal thought process. This was happening more and more and I’d need to talk to Law as soon as we got back. For now though I pushed the problem back deep down and counted the number of enemy in the village.

I counted over thirty of them, an exact number was difficult because they kept entering and leaving different huts. Judging by the size of the different structures there could be as many as double that guestimate. There was his thoughts again. I shook my head and formulated a plan.

I had a total number of seven scouts with me including myself and that meant it was over three to one odds at the minimum. Our weapons loadout consisted of the standard ranger scout fair. Each member was equipped with two hand weapons, the newest sword and knife, a Katana and Ari B’ Lilah. Each had two sidearms, the new revolver pistol. Finished off with the newest repeating rifle and six hand grenades. On top of that we had the new body armor and uniforms. I pulled up the specs on each and went over them for the umpteenth time.

KATANA INFO, ARI B’ LILAH INFO, REVOLVER INFO, REPEATING RIFLE INFO, HAND GRENADE INFO, BODY ARMOR UNIFORM INFO

I closed the information screens and looked through the binoculars again. With our personal loadouts I also had a sniper, a heavy gunner, an explosives expert, a medic, a radioman, a utility man, and myself. When Law was explaining the setup when building the SEAL Scout teams he explained why they needed to be specialized as well able to work as a unit. At first I was confused and asked him why we all didn’t do everything but he explained that we all would. But, that those who specialized would be even better at their specific role.

Each member could do it but just not as well as the expert. They also got to carry more specialized gear that Law had made himself and given to each member as soon as they were initiated into the SEAL Recon teams. As the leader of all my team and all the scouts I had access to all their information and pulled up my team’s sheets.

SNIPER INFO, HEAVY GUNNER INFO, EXPLOSIVES INFO, MEDIC INFO, RADIO INFO, UTILITY INFO, LEADER INFO

A plan began to coalesce in my mind as I closed the information windows and looked over the village one more time in case I missed something. These Fallen warriors were no novices, they had the village under lockdown. Already all the local inhabitants had been corralled and bound. The village itself wasn’t small by any means, there had to have been at least a couple hundred villagers before they had been attacked by The Fallen. A mass grave just outside the village proper showed what had become of the villagers previous defenders.

For a village this size there had probably been about twenty warrior hunter types and they would be no match for seasoned Fallen fighters. The leader came out of the village Chief’s tent and began shouting orders. I couldn’t tell what he was saying but I caught the gist of it. They were about to move out and were going to kill the captives they weren’t taking. I had to act and act now if we were going to stop them. I put the binoculars away and turned to Burrowing Badger.

“Ok, here is the plan. Send Laughing Firefly up to the ridge over there and tell him to setup. He is to take their leader out with his first shot. The rest of us will charge in guns blazing and take out the rest of The Fallen. Smiling Buffalo will lead the way with his SAW and the rest of us will follow in his wake. You, Sulking Willow, and me will clear each structure as we pass by. We move fast and deadly, using the element of surprise. Go get the rest of the team ready.” I commanded.

“Sure thing Sarge.” Burrowing Badger said, with a smile and chest salute.

“It’s just Sarge…” I started to say, then realized he had it right and shook my head.

These newer younger warriors were such smart asses, that was another term that I got from my mysterious memory man. It was appropriate though and I shook my head as I followed after Burrowing Badger. We had taken a position on a small rise just outside of the villages sight. It gave a perfect view of the valley and the surroundings. I reached the bottom of the rise and nodded my head at the quiet competence that my squad moved with. They may be young and smart asses, but they were good, the best in fact. All the SEAL CRT ranger scouts were the best of the best out of all the different tribes warriors.

They were also the smallest, quietest, most skillful of all the warriors. It was a prerequisite considering we had to be out among the enemy pathfinding and usually without support. Though, Law said the new longer range airships and our radios would change things but we’d see. The brass always promised things but rarely delivered. I shook my head there he was again. My guys gave me a quizzical look but I just waved them off and hand signaled to see if they were all ready.

They signaled that they were and I motioned for them to move out. Laughing Firefly left first and the rest of us moved into position, Smiling Buffalo leading the way. The man was massive, at least width wise, height wise he was no taller than the rest of us just at or under five and half feet. He carried his huge automatic gatling gun easily and we followed quietly in his wake. A few minutes later we reached our waiting spot and spread out into formation and waited.

Smiling Buffalo was at the tip and center of our arrow formation. He had his big gatling in hands, now locked, cocked, and ready to rock. He gave me the thumbs up as I caught his eye. I nodded in return and looked to his left and right where Sulking Willow and Falling Trout were respectively, both gave me a thumbs up. I looked to the end of the line and Burrowing Badger gave me the same gesture. On the opposite end was our medic and only woman, Resting Hare. She nodded and gave me the usual frown along with her thumbs up. She was such a pretty girl but never smiled and was always short with everyone. Her saving graces were that she was a bad ass warrior and amazing medic.

We were in a copse of trees about a hundred and fifty feet from the occupied village. Now it was just hurry and wait. All these sayings from this person in my head was starting to get to me. It was getting hard tot tell if they were his or my own memories.

The crack of Laughing Firefly’s sniper rifle sounded out echoing across the land. We were moving the moment it went off. Smiling Buffalo burst out of the copse of trees like his namesake and went from zero to a full speed run in a second. The big gun started firing adding its constant booming to the almost metronomic crack of Laughing’s sniper rifle.

Most of The Fallen had been gathered in the center of the village, with the remaining captives they were taking as slaves in the center. The others, the ones they were disposing of were already taken off to the side by the mass graves. We covered half the distance to the village and half of the enemy were already down.

“Switch to single fire targets, watch out for the captives!” I yelled, and the big gatling gun cut off as Smiling Buffalo dropped it to the ground.

No one stopped moving and kept going forward as trained, then fanning out and picking targets with their rifles. I kept moving as well bringing up the rear and keeping an overwatch over the whole situation, taking my own shot here and there and dropping a Fallen with each squeeze of the trigger.

Soon we were in the village proper and all The Fallen who had been out in the open were down, dead or dying. I looked around and motioned for everyone to break into pairs and clear each structure. Rifles were shouldered and clos combat weapons were drawn, the pistol and knife. All scouts were ambidextrous and could use any weapon with either hand. Resting Hare was my battle buddy and we paired up coming to the closest hut.

We took up positions on either side of the entranceway and nodded to each when we were ready. Resting Hare took the lead and ducked in through the closed flap and I was a nanosecond behind. What the fuck was a nanosecond? Went through my mind and it almost cost me and Resting Hare her life.

My partner ducked in the teepee and immediately went right and I went in after going left. My distraction made me hesitate just a half second and The Fallen hiding inside launched a screaming twohanded chop of his massive axe at my head. Resting Hare acted before I could, thankfully there were no other assailants inside and she fired three rapid shots of her revolver nailing the big corrupted man center mass.

The big Fallen stopped in his tracks and his weapon slipped from his fingertips clattering to the ground. He quickly followed and I lowered my weapons and gave Resting Hare a nod of thanks.

“You ok Sarge?” She asked, with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m fine.” I growled, turning and storming out of the hut.

Once outside I took a couple deep breaths and then surveyed the aftermath of the one-sided battle. All of the structures were clear, the enemy were down, and the villagers hadn’t been harmed. Overall, it was a very successful action and none of my people were hurt. Resting Hare followed me out of the hut and we walked over to the rest of the squad minus Laughing Firefly who would be joining us soon.

“Any enemy survivors?” I asked, as soon as we reached the center of the village and the squad.

“Just one but he won’t be long for this world.” Smiling Buffalo said, with his customary lackadaisical smile.

“Resting Hare.” I said.

“On it, Sarge.” She replied, following the big heavy gunner to the surviving Fallen.

I approached the villagers and they shied away only thirty of them being left. All were young women and children. I sighed and shook my head, The Fallen were not known to be kind to their captives. They were vile bestial men and women who indulged all their carnal desires to the detriment of their victims. I could see some of the girls had started receiving the usual treatment judging by the bruising and lacerations on their filthy and worn bodies.

I was about to tell them all to relax that we were here to help when Resting Hare came running back and hollering at the top of her lungs. I turned at the unusual outburst and watched her approach at full speed.

“The Fallen are coming! Hundreds of them!” She yelled.

“Fuck me..” I whispered, looking around wildly expecting them to come rushing in right behind her.

When none did my panicked expression changed to a scowl which I directed at Resting Hare.

“There are hundreds of The Fallen coming here. This is supposed to be their meeting spot for all the slavers. That’s what the captive told me.” Resting Hare explained, through gasps of air.

“When?” I asked.

“He said within the next few days. Each slaving group will be coming in with their goods. He doesn’t know more than that, he’s just a peon.” She said, breathing normally again.

“Ok, good job. Where’s the prisoner now?” I asked.

“He died, I tried to save but…” Resting Hare said, with a shrug as her voice trailed off.

“Help the others get these villagers sorted out then meet back up with me.” I commanded then strode off.

A plan began to form in my head as I digested the information form the recently departed enemy warrior.

“Sulking Willow is that radio setup?” I asked, reaching my destination a small hill in the southwest corner of the village and the highest point in the area.

“Two minutes Sarge.” Sulking Willow replied, in his soft effeminate voice.

I grunted and looked over the contraption he was almost done assembling. It was medium sized rectangular thing, taller than it was wide about twice as much. It was hollow with some metal gears, poles, and other things I wasn’t sure what they did. Sulking Willow was attaching a large metal pole with a circular dish on top which he stretched out and pointed at a certain direction in the sky, then nodded once to himself.

“All set.” He said, turning to me and giving me a thumbs up.

I just looked at him with a raised eyebrow and he stared blankly back. I sighed and shook my head.

“How do I use it?” I asked, my tone clearly showing my tested patience.

“Ah yeah Sarge, here you go. Just talk into this.” He replied, handing me a metal rod connected to the box by a wire.

“Silent Mouse to War Shaman Law. Silent Mouse for War Shaman Law.” I said into the metal rod, feeling stupid and not a little foolish.

I was about to unleash my embarrassment on Sulking Willow when the box began to crackle and a voice sounded out from it.

“Go for War Shaman Law, is that you Silent Mouse?” War Shaman Law’s voice said, from the box’s speaker.

“It’s me War Shaman, Silent Mouse.” I replied, looking at the box in awe.

I had been told how it worked but this was the first time seeing it in action and I was amazed.

“Good to hear from you. I’m also glad the radio is working. Now, enough chitchat, fill me in on why you called? I have things to tell you as well and time is of the essence.” War Shaman Law said.

“My sentiments as well War Shaman. Here is what happened...” I said, filling him in on all the details and things we found out.

“Good job handling those Fallen. This racks with what we know. I’m going to send a couple airships immediately and then some ironclads as reinforcements. Hang tight for a bit. Mark your position on the map for us. They will be there soon. Now, here is what we found out…” War Shaman Law said, then explained all about our new enemies and our new plan.

“Ten four War Shaman. We will do what we can.” I said, when he was done filling me in.

“I know you will Silent Mouse, I have complete faith in you. Over and out.” War Shaman Law said.

The connection terminated and the radio went silent.

“Damn, I thought we killed all the freaking monsters. Now we may have some damn wolf man and living dead coming our way.” Sulking Willow said, in his usual sulky tone.

“You heard the War Shaman help is heading our way. Until then, we have work to do. Up and at em. Besides, we have magic and advanced weapons. What could go wrong?” I told my morose radio operator.