. 01

Into the Foreverdark

The Gathering

A man sits outside a store with a stroller rocking it back and forth; inside the stroller sleeps a 6-month-old baby. This tall man stands and looks into the stroller to see if his son is still a sleep. An unusual little girl walks out of the store her snow-white hair with silver highlights and obsidian skin gets many looks from people as she comes out. She sees that man and runs quietly up to him and with the grace of a cat climbs on to the bench and jumps on to the mans back. He braces himself as she thuds into him and looks into the stroller.

She says playfully, "Papa who's that?"

He rolls his eyes and says, "That is still your little brother Vilvra."

She looks at her father with disbelief and says, "Papa, he looks nothing like me or mama. So how can he be my brother?"

Her father smiles and replies, "I don't look like you or mama, yet you call me papa."

She gave her father a close examination and answered him, "Mama said you are my papa and that you are special unlike them." As she pointed to the people staring at her as she glared at them evilly.

He just shook his head and said, "Your mother also told you he was your brother, look he has silver in his hair like you and your mother. You were there when he was born and your mother is not pregnant anymore either."

A man in a business suit is walking towards them and interrupts saying, "Lord Bordeaux, we have need of your counsel."

He looked at his daughter and sighed deeply, before saying, "I am no Lord. Just because we own most of the land in this area does not make me a lord, understand? Call me Henri from now on."

The man in the suit says, "We held a vote and named you the lord of this region and you agreed, we have done so well under you leadership, that all of Aquitaine wants you to be their lord and to protect them from bandits."

Henri retorted, "First off I agreed because of people that were loyal to me having fought with me. I promised elections and you had your vote now let me get back to my vineyards. I am not going to become a lord or king of this area. We are part of France and we have a Prime Minister. While he is trying to stabilize all of France, I am just protecting those who came here from another land and don't understand our system of rule let alone have a voice, but they do understand kings and lords. So go bother the Prime Minister not me, I am more interested in my vineyards and my family."

The man interjects, "The prefecture is fine, but we are getting no help from Paris. I am afraid to say this but I think the republic is over. All they do is take and under the constitution we can't pass laws to help us. Your family has been the backbone of this prefecture and the other Departments are looking to us and we are looking to you. Please send your armies to calm the Region or we might go the route of the eastern Regions where rebellion has started. If you take control now we can keep our region together and maybe Midi and Languedoc will join us and when things calm we can rejoin France."

Henri ran his fingers through his hair in disgust and said, "I will call an assembly and if they agree unanimously then I will take charge until things calm down in France. I want somebody from the prefecture to speak on this as well as people from the Departments and yes even from the Regions as well as our representatives in Paris. I will call it for two weeks from now, my brother will give you the information. Now, leave me be, I have my children to watch."

The man smiled and said, "Thank you, Lord Bordeaux," he turned to Vilvra and said, "Good day Lord and Miss Bordeaux."

Vilvra hid behind her father; as the man walked away, she pulled on her father's shorts. She couldn't resist as she asked, "Papa, why did that man call you Lord and me Miss?"

Henri knelt down and said, "Because your father did what was right and now people look to me as their leader and you as their next leader."

Vilvra looked around at all the people who had overheard the conversation and saw them stare at her even harder. She looked at herself and wondered why she was so different from them. Vilvra couldn't resist, "Papa, why are me and mama so different from them? Do they hate us because we are different? How come the people who have skin close to ours don't like us either? Why can I do things that scare my classmates and why can't they do the same?"

Henri knew he would have to have this talk some day and after 8 years, the time had finally come. Henri sighed and trying to sound nonchalant said, "Vilvra, you know papa loves you and mama very much. Your mama comes from another world and that is why she looks like she does. You look like you do because like your aunts and mother, I can do magic..."

Vilvra interrupted with a beaming smile and said playfully, "Papa detaching and reattaching your thumb isn't magic. Can you float like me and mama?"

Henri picked up a small stone looked around and said, "Watch this and tell me if I can do magic or not?" as he focused on the stone it started to float into the air and then changed colors, after a few minutes the stone exploded into a small cloud of dust.

Vilvra looked at her father awestruck and said, "Mama is an alien from outer space! Papa, how did you meet mama?"

He smiled and said, "Vilvra, do you want to hear a long story that will explain everything? Your mother is still shopping so we have time."

Henri sat down and slapped his lap as his daughter beamed a million watt smile and jumped onto her father's lap as Henri began his tale.

***********

In a bombed farmhouse sleeps U.S. marines from the 2nd battalion, 4th marines, 3rd platoon, the 40-man platoon was sleeping soundly except for one lone tormented soul. As Private Henri Bordeaux slept his eyes danced back and forth in REM sleep. His nightmare the same as it had been for the past 12 years. A young man with blond almost white hair and blue eyes sitting in a classroom, he is head and shoulders taller than the rest of his classmates, as the teacher drones on in Japanese.

The ground begins to shake and everybody dives under their desk for cover. The walls continue to shake and fall collapsing under the stress. The magnitude 10.0 quake has caused the school to collapse and the blond haired young man climbs out from the rubble saved by two things, the fact that he was sitting next to the window and a structure-bearing wall. As he looks around he sees the devastated building has crumbled under the shaking and many buildings around the school are now piles of rubble.

He hears the sirens sounding and takes off running away from the bay of Tokyo, little did he know that there had been two quakes, one a magnitude 9.5 in the ocean and a magnitude 10.0 centered in the mouth of Tokyo Bay. While the 10.0 didn't produce much of a Tsunami being so close to land it did flatten Tokyo/Yokosuka area, but the two quakes combined did produce a huge Tsunami.

As the 300-foot high wall of water rushed in from Kamakura he ran towards his home in Izumi to see if his mother and sister were all right. He thought briefly about his brother JP and hoped he was all right. When he got home he found his sister bleeding, she was upstairs when the quake hit and he found her easily but he couldn't get to his mother. He took off to a hospital to get help for his sister, what he didn't know is that his mother was crushed under the rubble of their home. When he got to the hospital he saw people looking at the T.V. that was being run off the emergency generator to provide information. He saw the Tsunami rushing through Tokyo/Yokosuka and a tear ran down his cheek as he saw his home being swallowed by the sea.

He awoke in a cold sweat from his nightmare and heard, "The dream again! I will be on extra alert."

He looked at "Mother" the nickname his beloved staff sergeant had earned from his men because he worried about them like he was their mother. He looked at mother and said, "What do you mean Mother?"

Mother replied, "The last time you had the nightmare the Chinese launched a counter offensive in Kyoto not two hours later and before that was sappers in Nagoya that happened minutes after you woke up and of course the Tokyo miracle before that. You have that nightmare and I get ready to run."

He rolled his eyes and asked, "What's the time mother?"

Sergeant Johansson said, "Listen old man, the kids can call me mother but not a nut like you. 10 f-ing years here and you are still a private and have been busted down in rank more times than I care to remember in my time alone. So I know you are certifiable and its 0430 hours the LAVs arrive in 30 minutes. I'll go and wake the children."

I did a weapon and equipment checks and headed outside just as the LAV - 500R rolled up, they're eight wheels and mounted with a 500g rail gun and seats eight people. I never liked riding inside of them, but they were ordered to get to Mt. Iimori and take it if needed being the highest point overlooking the entry to Nagasaki from the south. It made a great spot for staging and spotting for the 155mm Howitzers.

As the LAVs arrived, they drew attention to them and woke every soul as the ground shook from incoming artillery. My unit and I ran for cover as small arms fire erupted from woods opposite the farmhouse. I moved across the stream to the woods and climbed the hill to get a solution as I heard the LAVs returning fire. I had no idea where my unit was but staying there would do the platoon little good. As I crossed the stream I saw mother and 4 others running, mother gave me that I know look and knew what I was going to do. Once I hit the tree line I felt the ground rumble and turned to see one of the LAV's explode as an RPG must have slammed into it, because I hadn't heard the scream of artillery.

I dropped to the ground and scanned from 9 to 3 looking for any hostiles.

I opened my coms and said, "Casper to Mother, where are you? Is Matrix with you?"

I heard the crackle of the coms as a hurried mother replied, "Other side of the stream and behind the barn. No, I don't think he made it out of the house. Why?"

I said distressed, "I need a spotter if I'm gonna quiet them? I can tell you that they are at least 750 meters away or more."

Mother replied, "Take the shots and at the very least it will make them head for cover and buy us a little time, were just going to have to integrate you until we can get you a new spotter."

I gave mother a, "Yes, sergeant," stalked up the hill trying to make my 6'4" look about 3'2". At least I had shadows to help hide me as I proceeded to a good firing spot and scanned the opposite slope. I saw nothing as I set my RSP on the ground and grabbed my binoculars and looked at the direction the firing was coming from. My binoculars were night vision compatible, I could see about 6 men. I saw the radio operator and had my target. I dropped to the ground, set my ka-bar in the ground next to me on my left as I grabbed the RSP, dropped the bi-pod and flipped the caps up on the sights and looked through. The reading said 829 meters I adjusted my aim up two notches and one to the right for the wind. I calmed my breathing, ready to fire as I held my breath and fired. I saw the flash of red, the radio operator was hit but I didn't have time to watch as I slid my ka-bar into the sheath on my boot and hurried to my second firing position.

I slid to the ground as I heard the roar of helicopters coming hoping they were ours, but still wasn't going to take any chances. I had moved down the hill and to the right about 50 meters and dropped into a firing position and hunted for targets. I saw another squad at the edge of the woods about 774 meters from me and adjusted the same. My goal was to suppress them and buy my unit time to counter them as I heard the roaring getting louder from what I hopped were Vipers. I fired hitting the rifleman and knocking him to the ground as I saw his leg separate from his body. As I jumped up and ran down and to my left for my third firing position I looked up as I heard the unforgettable sound of the 500g Rail gun unloading on the enemy position, followed by another seconds later.

Between the one remaining LAV and the Vipers the situation was under control when I got into my firing position. I saw the remaining men heading over the hill and at 1000 meters plus I could try but why waste ammo on a one in a million shot or maybe two million without a spotter.

My coms cracked with static as mother said, "Casper, I want you on the ridge with the loss of the LAV's and the squad that just hit us looks like we are going to be hoofin' it and I'm takin' no chances. You do what you do best and no targets of opportunity. I want eyes on the targets not a body count understood."

I sighed and new this meant we would reach Mt. Iimori tonight as I asked, "Is Matrix going to be joining me?"

Mother replied, "Negative, he and 'Silver Surfer' didn't make it out of the farm house along with 6 others."

I demanded, "Let me come get the designator sight so I can light up quality targets and I'm going ghost."

Mother retorted, "Negative, on the request to come down, hold the ridge. I'll send Meat up with the designator sight. Agreed, go ghost and only light up if you don't think we can get the LAVs around."

I pleaded, "Anybody but Meat, the last thing I need is the FNG. Hell send me a corpsman, at least we would have at least one of them alive."

Mother replied disheartened, "If I gave you a corpsman to keep alive we wouldn't have one here, Holiday bought it coming out of the house. I will send the med kit with Meat, after all you are our emergency corpsman."

I whined, "You know, I only did the corpsman training for the pay upgrade. What frequency is our LAV on?"

Mother said annoyed, "Capitan showed me your file and when I told the corpsmen about your score they said you did better than they did. So, stop bitching and go ghost and that is an order. Lobo 23 is on 6, recognition is fuckin camel."

I gave mother a condescending "Yes, sir" just to piss him off and head along the hill and up the next to get a good look around. I opened my pack and pulled out my snipers camo and got a good look around for hostiles.

A few minutes later I hear, "Casper, this Johnson I'm up the hill where are you?"

I looked around and saw nobody so I looked through my sight and saw him on the hill I was on and said, "Meat, I am on the ridge, didn't mother tell you that?"

I hung my head in shame at having to hear his stupidity; my life was in the hands of an 18 year old with the IQ less than his shoe size. How did 'mother' put up with this endless parade of dumbasses? I waited for Meat to bring me my things and kept an eye on the road my unit was going to travel down. After getting my things I told Meat to tell Mother that I was going to follow the ridge to Hananoki and hold up at shrine there, I explained that I would be able to support the town up to the tunnel and that I will check in every hour. My challenge is B, I also told him not to forget to report the he was EMHO as well.

Checking in on the hour I had a good chuckle when mother told me that Meat reported his Early Morning Hard On to him. The hike was uneventful to Hananoki as I reached the hill that the shrine was on, I saw a BTR-80A just off the road near the tunnel. I got a good look around and saw inside a building, an old T-72 with a clear firing position down the road. My unit was heading up, I looked at the soldiers and saw that they were North Korean and at company strength at least if not larger. At times like this I am glad that we had such fine and powerful radios, the down side is that any listening post would know I am there and I would be in a world of shit. I had to get a message out; I knew we had listening ships close by and hoped that they would get my message and hook me up with my unit at least. I didn't know the challenge to identify myself but had to risk it.

I set my transmission signal to full and went to the last known channel for ships and awacs and said, "This is Casper of the 31st MEF, 2nd battalion, 4th marines, 3rd platoon I have a condition Delta four niner, I repeat condition Delta four niner over."

I heard nothing back hoped the designation of the D for danger, four meaning armor, and niner meaning mobile infantry were still true. I had heard nothing about a change but it did not mean they hadn't, after all this was war and in war it is one SNAFU after another. So I wouldn't be surprised if they did. I couldn't code in because they changed the codes every day and we were going silent so only our command people had those code in's. I couldn't reach 'mother' because of the terrain, they couldn't hear me and I couldn't hear them. My receiver had limits because the hills would block my signal but the ships in Tachibana Bay could. Not knowing where they were meant climbing to the other side of the hill but it wouldn't help if another hill were between us.

I smiled when I heard, "Casper confirm Delta four niner code in?"

I replied, "Can't too many ears and not enough friendlies, will designate straight up for fly over at coordinates 126 mark 143, confirm?"

They replied, "Sat pass in 7 minutes, confirm with mic key."

I confirmed and waited 6 minutes and started designating straight in the air and hoped I had not just told the North Koreans where I was. I waited for 2 minutes and stopped designating. I headed for the Hananoki Shrine, telling them I was moving and was turning down my signal strength but will be waiting on channel 12. I knew it would take them about 15 minutes to get the images in and make a decision on if I was to be believed. I knew my laser designator would be picked up. However, if I was talking to the North Koreans then staying put would a bad idea because they would send troops into that area and I would know right away if I was talking to the North Koreans or not.

I had a great vantage point to see Hananoki and any movements. 5 minutes after I moved I saw two squads move across the village and head towards the woods. I had just confirmed that they were indeed listening in; I was also sure that I was talking to the US Navy. Just in case, I prepared a tactical retreat that would lead them away from my unit. The biggest problem with the terrain in this part of Japan is that it is nonstop wooded hills; I had no clear field of fire down to the two squads that were in my old hiding spot. I figured I should keep going to the temple rather than engage and I had orders not to engage. So I stayed ghost and made my way up to the shrine. I saw a platoon holding the shrine and they were well dug in. They had widened the road leading up and most likely paved the steps up to get the ZSU-23-4 up here. With limited cover I was glad I had the tarp, the way my snipers camo fit was like a tarp and meant that being next to the bushes would make me look like a pile of leaves. I knew that Zeus had to go.

I heard a squawk on my coms and said, "This is Casper, the enemy is Rabbit." I keyed off quickly as I checked the direction I had come to see if they were still there. They were still searching my old hiding spot and I had no movement around the Zeus.

I listened and heard, "Roger that Casper, we have hogs inbound, can you light up targets?"

I thought, "Fuck, A-10's while they would do a great job on the tanks and INF. The Zeus would rip them apart.'

I replied rushed, "Negative, Zeus is at the shrine. I can light it up, but no air craft would be able to see it."

After a 5 minute delay I was told, "Casper, bug out NOW! Iowa is on the rails."

On hearing that Iowa was on the rails, I got up and ran full speed down that hill and got balls deep with the ground. We had heard that the old Iowa class was back in action, now equipped with rail gun turrets. As I hit the ground I felt the heat from the rail gun's impact the shrine as the blast wave passed over. I stood and turned to see the entire hill a blaze and the top of it missing. That's what happens when a one metric ton of ordinance travelling at ten times the speed of sound will do to what it hits.