Falsified Engagements

Falsified Engagements1

Lt.Bryce Stone
42nd US ARMY RANGERS (On Transfer From 22nd S.A.S Regiment)
Kotal-e Salang Mountain Pass
Northern Afghanistan.
20th/3rd/2003
6:27am (Local Time)2

The Sun Rose slowly that morning, casting rays of light around the few clouds that dotted the sky, and great shadows from the mountains overlooking valleys where small villages and some of the more primitive tribes dwelt to escape the ongoing US War of so called ‘Peace’ by destroying terrorist cells that dotted the once peaceful valleys. As The Light Shone Down, It revealed The First Light of A New Day to many of the Villages, Cattle Herders Beginning the Trek to their herds on the Higher Reaches of the Mountains. 3

Along With The Peace And Tranquility That One Would Find Within Some Of These Villages, There Were other, Darker Patches of the ongoing war revealed to the world, but not truly seen. 4

A Village Destroyed Completely, Nothing but Skeletons Of Buildings And Still Smoking Wrecks from an AC-130 Specter Gunship That ‘Thought’ They Saw A Convoy of Trucks Carrying Weapons In The Village Square. They leveled the Village With 120mm Artillery to be sure. 5

A Bullet Riddled Car That Refused to give way to a Group of HMMWV’s behind it. The Official Document said that the Driver and passengers were armed insurgents who fired when they saw the convoy behind them. All Five Passengers Were Killed.6

And So, The new day came to light, and people went about there morning Prayers and rituals, in The Mountain Reaches of Northern Afghanistan.7

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The Young Lieutenant sat on the edge of the UH-60 ‘Black Hawk’ as it thundered through a mountain pass in the highland Regions of Afghanistan, rotors kicking up a cloud of dust whenever it came close to the earth beneath it. The Keynari Officer Was On Exchange with the US Troops As part of A Better Understanding between the UK & US troop in the ongoing war. His Black with White surrounded by a line of red fur was visible only on his Muzzle, The rest of his fur hidden beneath The Desert Fatigues, Helmet and Flak Vest he wore, the Only Thing Differentiating him from the rest of the crew was the Union Jack He had Sown Over The US Flag on the Uniform He had been issued, A small sense of Patriotism beaming from him whenever he looked at it. The young Human corporal on The Minigun Mounted on the side of the Black Hawk tapped his shoulder gently, speaking through his helmet mike once he had the Lieutenant’s attention. 9

“Sir, there’s a tribe of local anthros, primitives of course, we passed on our run yesterday just ahead. Request permission to engage targets.” The human Grinned mentally.10

The Young Lieutenant Simply raised the M4 Carbine’s ACOG scope to his eye, flicking the safety off and cocking the weapon. 11

“Sure, why not, Like anyone’s gonna find out this far away from HQ. I haven’t shot at anything living for 3 Weeks!” He Shouted back over the mike, before turning to the helicopters pilot, and older Anthro wolf known only to him as “Mack”12

“Mack, group of primitives ahead. Call ‘em in as insurgents will you?”13

The Wolf Turned back to the crew, bringing the Black Hawk into a circling pattern above the group of tents and wooden huts below, the inhabitant Anthro Wolfs gathering around below to look at this intrusion to there morning prayers.14

“Ey Sir.” Mack Flicked the intercom to Broadcast To The Operations coordinator at their Airfield. 15

“This Is Super-Six-Eight, Spotted Armed Targets Below. They Look Like Armed insurgents. Request permission To Engage”16

The Response Was less Then Enthusiastic. “Super-Six-Eight, Are you under Fire?”17

The Keynari In The back Quickly Fired A Few Shots Off From his Rifle Making sure to be transmitting at the same time, Hitting one Of the Anthro Wolfs in the Neck, The Rest Scattering As she fell, clutching the gaping wound in her throat. The Shot had pierced her jugular. She Would Die Slowly.18

“Confirm, Super-Six-Eight Taking Small Arms Fire From Ground Targets.”19

“Roger, Super-Six-Eight Clear To Engage.”20

The Minigun On The Side Of The Black Hawk Was Spooling up Before the Coordinator had Finished His Sentence, As A Tongue Of Fire Spat Forth From It’s Barrels, Mowing Down A Group Of The Wolfs That Had made A Sprint For The Hillside. They Fell Slowly, Dancing like Performers but At The Same Time, Juddering Like A Crane Lifting More Then it was Ever Designed To, As Their leg’s Simply gave way under the crushing volume of fire, Bloody Gouts flying from holes torn by the rounds. The Lieutenant Fired Picked shots, Relishing in The Feeling Of Choosing Who Lives And Who Dies. The power of a god in his hands. A Woman and her child emerged from one of the wooden huts, only to have their lives cut short by two cracks from the Keynari’s rifle, falling in heaps to the ground, blood slowly pooling from the wounds in the base of their skulls. A Short burst later and the Females mate was gunned down as well, Propeled back into the ground from a trio of rounds, Reunited with his love on the other side. An Elder Wolf Waved Franticly at Them to Stop, But His Signal Was Cut Short As The Trail Of Bullets From The Minigun Zeroed in on him, Tossing him to the Ground like a used toy, a line of bullet wounds running from his right calf to his left shoulder.21

As The Minigun Spooled Down, And The Lieutenant Swapped out a Fresh magazine, a sudden silence filled the air, all movement on the ground ended, Bodies strewn across the tribes camp, small trails of blood leaking towards the well in the centre of the ring of structures. The Black Hawk made one last circle, like a Vulture Making Sure It’s Meal Was Dead, Before banking off to the South. A Lone Radio Transmission Came to The Mission Coordinators post.22

“Super-Six-Eight. All Targets Eliminated. Returning To Base.”