Read Online ARMAGEDDON'S SONG (Volume 3) 'Fight Through' by ANDY FARMAN - Free Book Online
Authors: ANDY FARMAN
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caches dropped by their own river patrol’s rigid raiders.
However, despite their abilities as jungle fighters,
they were severely limited in their mobility having no air support and also a
rivalry with the Legion that precluded their ever asking for assistance or
support from that quarter.
The marines numbered five infantry companies, a
Riverine Squadron and a heavy weapons company but they were not set up to
quickly react to situations occurring outside their individual companies
immediate areas of operations.
Between the small Chinese force and the shore were of
course at least one suspected minefield and four surface threats in the form of
a pair of D’Estienne D'Orves class ASW corvettes and two L'audacieuse offshore patrol boats which could make life interesting.
A flight of two Breguet Atlantique IIs had been stationed at Cayenne airport which would
likewise serve to keep boredom at bay.
“My task of getting you close enough to launch your
submersibles has changed little in real terms, but you are now light one third
of the manpower and equipment required to complete your mission.” He looked at
the soldier and smoothed out the map.
“You are the resident expert on anything that causes
blistered feet Captain and I am but a humble squid, as the Americans say.” He
tapped the map. “As I see it we have more targets than troops now, and for your
information we have precisely three hundred miles worth of diesel fuel
remaining so I am open to any suggestions you have on our completing the
mission as well as a safe withdrawal that precludes walking as a means of
escape and evasion.” He ended with a grin.
Captain Huaiqing smiled a little smugly.
“We foot sloggers think on our feet even when we are
sitting on our arses…it is already done.” he removed from inside his shirts
breast pocket a sheet of A4 sized paper with the brief outline of an
alternative plan.
“It will, I promise you, require only that your
delicate navy feet carry you up to your conning tower, and should you choose to
stretch your legs on shore then that is up to you.”
Li’s eyebrows rose, intrigued, but he let the soldier
continue.
“You will still endeavor to
penetrate the minefields between the old French penal colony islands?”
Li nodded. “The ironically named Islands of Salvation;
Royale, St Joseph and of course Devils Island…yes, it is impossible to mine the
waters there. The tidal race would unseat mere weighted anchors even if it were
deep enough to mine. But at high tide your submersibles have an hour’s window
to get on the landward side of the islands where it is also unfriendly waters
for mining operations.”
Li paused, glancing at the SF commander-by-default.
“Can you split your remaining forces and still complete
all three primary goals?”
Jie Huaiqing shook his head.
“That would be highly unlikely, if not impossible.” He
said emphatically.
“ But, if Bao ’s detachment attacks the Soyuz pad
as planned and I take ten men to attack the Ariane and Vega pads and that leaves eight soldiers that the navy can
carry into the mouth of the Kourou to the dock. They blow the bridge as planned
and you torpedo the Fliterland and burgle the Paris Fire Brigade so we can all go
home.”
Li coughed in surprise. “Paris ?… what ?”
“Health and Safety laws in the EEC decree that certain
facilities be served by firefighting equipment and
personnel of a very exacting standard. Those facilities are Class A
international airports, fuel storage sites holding more than a quarter million
cubic square feet of storage space for flammable gases and liquids, and…space
ports.”
Li still had a blank
expression on his face, clearly not getting the connection and wondering what
in the hell Jie was jabbering about EEC regulations for?
“The Paris Fire Brigade was geographically the closest
French firefighting unit to meet the strict
requirements so they have a fire station at Kourou Space Port
caches dropped by their own river patrol’s rigid raiders.
However, despite their abilities as jungle fighters,
they were severely limited in their mobility having no air support and also a
rivalry with the Legion that precluded their ever asking for assistance or
support from that quarter.
The marines numbered five infantry companies, a
Riverine Squadron and a heavy weapons company but they were not set up to
quickly react to situations occurring outside their individual companies
immediate areas of operations.
Between the small Chinese force and the shore were of
course at least one suspected minefield and four surface threats in the form of
a pair of D’Estienne D'Orves class ASW corvettes and two L'audacieuse offshore patrol boats which could make life interesting.
A flight of two Breguet Atlantique IIs had been stationed at Cayenne airport which would
likewise serve to keep boredom at bay.
“My task of getting you close enough to launch your
submersibles has changed little in real terms, but you are now light one third
of the manpower and equipment required to complete your mission.” He looked at
the soldier and smoothed out the map.
“You are the resident expert on anything that causes
blistered feet Captain and I am but a humble squid, as the Americans say.” He
tapped the map. “As I see it we have more targets than troops now, and for your
information we have precisely three hundred miles worth of diesel fuel
remaining so I am open to any suggestions you have on our completing the
mission as well as a safe withdrawal that precludes walking as a means of
escape and evasion.” He ended with a grin.
Captain Huaiqing smiled a little smugly.
“We foot sloggers think on our feet even when we are
sitting on our arses…it is already done.” he removed from inside his shirts
breast pocket a sheet of A4 sized paper with the brief outline of an
alternative plan.
“It will, I promise you, require only that your
delicate navy feet carry you up to your conning tower, and should you choose to
stretch your legs on shore then that is up to you.”
Li’s eyebrows rose, intrigued, but he let the soldier
continue.
“You will still endeavor to
penetrate the minefields between the old French penal colony islands?”
Li nodded. “The ironically named Islands of Salvation;
Royale, St Joseph and of course Devils Island…yes, it is impossible to mine the
waters there. The tidal race would unseat mere weighted anchors even if it were
deep enough to mine. But at high tide your submersibles have an hour’s window
to get on the landward side of the islands where it is also unfriendly waters
for mining operations.”
Li paused, glancing at the SF commander-by-default.
“Can you split your remaining forces and still complete
all three primary goals?”
Jie Huaiqing shook his head.
“That would be highly unlikely, if not impossible.” He
said emphatically.
“ But, if Bao ’s detachment attacks the Soyuz pad
as planned and I take ten men to attack the Ariane and Vega pads and that leaves eight soldiers that the navy can
carry into the mouth of the Kourou to the dock. They blow the bridge as planned
and you torpedo the Fliterland and burgle the Paris Fire Brigade so we can all go
home.”
Li coughed in surprise. “Paris ?… what ?”
“Health and Safety laws in the EEC decree that certain
facilities be served by firefighting equipment and
personnel of a very exacting standard. Those facilities are Class A
international airports, fuel storage sites holding more than a quarter million
cubic square feet of storage space for flammable gases and liquids, and…space
ports.”
Li still had a blank
expression on his face, clearly not getting the connection and wondering what
in the hell Jie was jabbering about EEC regulations for?
“The Paris Fire Brigade was geographically the closest
French firefighting unit to meet the strict
requirements so they have a fire station at Kourou Space Port
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