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Superiority

Chapter 10

David shook his head, trying to reach full alertness. The attack alarm had gone off a few hours prior. The Canadians had attacked several bases not long ago, and everybody on base was hurrying to readiness, preparing for the inevitable assault on base seven. David, and Bill had been assigned to the preparation of the LDSRD-V2 assault vehicles, which included fueling, and arming the rear mounted gun. It was a laboring task, seeing as the fuel was in containers, and each had to be pulled on a flatbed cart. Loading the ammunition for the guns was easy, but they got that done too quickly for their liking, and were now rushing to fuel all one hundred fifty of them.

"Why do we need so many damn anti infantry vehicles?" asked Bill, pulling a fuel drum behind David.

"I think it's a good idea," replied David. "It may be a bitch to fuel them, but considering the near devastation of the bases that didn't have those spider things, I like having anti-infantry weapons around."

"I suppose that makes sense," said Bill. "But I still don't know how we're expected to win this war."

David shrugged his shoulders, and they both continued their work. After a few more minutes, about ten more wolves began fueling from the other side of the room, much to the relief of David, and Bill.

The vehicles were threatening looking, boasting armor that could stop most small arms fire, a blast resistant underside, and a rear mounted fifteen millimeter machine gun. They were almost elegantly deadly in appearance, with their sharp lines, and riveted seams. The front of the vehicle almost seemed to stare back, if you looked at it too long. They weren't designed for stealth, so they had smooth black paint, with a glossy finish to it, and the symbol for the Imperial War Department painted on the side.

David heard a loud rush of air, as several LDSRD-FV4 fighter jets took off of the runway behind the land vehicle garage, the alarm hadn't sounded again yet, so they were probably on a surveillance flight. The planes had the same deadly look as most of the Lupine Armed Forces vehicles did, but for aerodynamics, lacked the outwardly riveted seams. They were covered in a sonar-absorbing material with a unique feature. The underside of the jet was actually an impact resistant viewing screen, which displayed the sky above it, a feature that had kept many of the jets safe, while flying inside canadian borders during surveillance exercises.

"That was loud," said Bill, as he turned off the pump leading from the fuel drum to the vehicle.

"Always is," said David, as the other wolves, who were working faster than them drew closer.

They worked in silence for a little while longer, until they met the other group in the middle, and were finished. Afterwards, David, and Bill headed back to their tent to find the other wolves already back from their preparation duties.

"Have fun?" asked Jefferson.

"Oh, yeah," replied Bill, sarcastically. "I love loading, and fueling for hours on end."

"At least we had help towards the end," added David.

"All we had to do was move crates around with the forklift," said Richards. "We were done before ten."

David gave him an annoyed look, before laying down in his bed.

Next morning, the rush was no different. As all five wolves exited their tent for breakfast, they were greeted by the sight of hundreds of wolves hurrying around the base. Everybody was worried about the impending attack. Some wolves were carrying heavy items around, others giving orders to lower ranking wolves, while most were just running around with worried looks on their faces.

Sanford greeted them after they had walked a little bit.

"Glad you were able to finally wake up ladies," he said. "Catching up on beauty sleep?"

David, and the other wolves just looked at the ground. Bill nervously kicked a clump of snow with his foot.

"Sorry, Sir," replied David. "We had a long day yesterday."

"A long day?" said Sanford. "You ever had to look after half of an entire group of tents? That's fifty wolves. All of my days are long days, and you're complaining about fueling some damn vehicles! You're pathetic!"

"Yes, Sir," replied David, quietly.

"Anyway, hurry up with breakfast, and ready yourselves," said Sanford. "A surveillance group just radioed in possible mobilization. I need you prepared to fight."

"Yes, Sir." replied the wolves, before departing for the Mess Hall.

"You know, I'm about tired of eating the same thing for breakfast every day." Said Jefferson, referring to the glob of mysterious substance in front of him. It was a flavored mixture of various nutrients designed to keep all the wolves at top physical condition.

After months of eating it, David had to agree, he was kind of tired of it.

"At least they give it flavor," said David. "Even if it is the same flavor everyday."

The chili-like mass in front of him didn't really appear appetizing, but all five of them finished eating anyway.

"Do you think they'll attack today?" asked Clinton.

"If they really are mobilizing, I don't see why they would wait," said David.

"I guess," said Bill. "I just hope we get to stay more towards the back. I've got a wife, and an unborn pup to care for."

"For your sake, I hope we do too," replied David.

After breakfast, the wolves went back to their tent, donned their armored uniforms, grabbed their weapons, and headed out. Sanford greeted them outside, and informed them they would accompanying a light assault vehicle.

"All right!" said Bill. "We'll be standing behind a wall of armor!"

David nodded in silent agreement and they continued towards the east side of the base. After exchanging greetings with the crew of their accompanying vehicle, they sat on the ground leaned up against it, waiting.

David stared around the room, eyeing the vehicles parked just outside the garage being started and manned. There were a lot of transports full of wolves waiting at the ready. David looked to his right, and saw an LDSRD-V10 Heavily Armored Tank. Looking at it made him happy they were charging into battle with him.

A flicker of movement caught his attention, as he saw heavily camouflaged wolves, armed with scoped, silenced rifles heading into the trees. It made him feel better to know there was an invisible pair of eyes watching over them.

Suddenly, the alarm started blaring, as Brigadier General Petrenko came over the speaker.

"My fellow wolves!" he started. "The enemy advances on this position as I speak. The Canadian menace has oppressed our nation's security, and expansion, for far too long! They march here arrogantly, and think themselves capable of taking our home! Our very security is at risk today. A threat we will not take lightly! Arm yourselves! Take aim at the very hand of the Canadian menace! They would take your home! They would take your country! They would take your lives! But not if we stand strong! No, today the evil that marches for self righteousness will not overwhelm us! You are fighting for your freedom! For the loved ones you left at home, as you bravely ventured into the unknown! You are fighting for the pride of your species! Remember this well, we here today, will not falter, will not waver! We, are SUPERIOR!"

After Petrenko's speech, a small wolf a few meters away from David began to clap. A wolf next to him joined him. Slowly, nearly all the wolves present began to clap, getting louder, and louder, until the alarm began blaring louder than them.

The first shot rang out. A Lupine sniper killed the driver of a Canadian transport rounding the corner. And the battle began.

David wasn't used to all of this commotion. There were bullets flying everywhere. The AA guns were firing nonstop on the Canadian helicopters that appeared suddenly from the other side of a large hill. Canadian fighter jets attempted to bomb the base, only to be shot down, with the bomb detonating in mid-air, destroyed by the base's missile defense shield. An invisible ally flying above, dropping bomb, after bomb on the Canadian assault force, sounded overhead. After a short while, the battlefield was littered with blood, ash, and remnants of Lupine, and Canadian vehicles.

David, and Bill, along with the other wolves from their tent were huddled behind their accompanying vehicle, for protection.

David looked to his left, and saw a lone wolf detached from the rest, out in the open. He was quickly killed. David raised his model five, and fired on his assailant, killing him with two shots to the chest, and one to the head. Soon after he heard Bill, and Richards firing off at some other target.

The gunner on the back of their vehicle was firing continuously, only stopping to let the gun cool down. Their was a loud metallic clang, as a bullet narrowly missed David's head, and collided with the vehicle, and was completely blocked. David turned around, to face two Canadian soldiers, who he quickly dispatched with only four rounds.

Their vehicle took a sudden turn to the right, as a missile struck it in the side, killing the driver. The wolf on the passenger side quickly crawled to the mutilated side of the crippled vehicle, and assumed control, quickly driving to the other side of a tank, for protection. The gunner on the back hadn't stopped yet. David estimated he was almost out of ammunition. The wolf stationed in the back was having to reload the gun every two minutes, or so.

The truck slowly rolled to a stop, the engine rendered inoperable by the strike. The vehicle was struck again, by another missile, killing the new driver, and the gunner. David saw the Canadian who fired it fall down, killed by a Lupine sniper.

David, and the others jumped to the protected side of the vehicle, and ducked down. Three Canadians appeared on their right, who were quickly gunned down. Clinton yelped, and grabbed his arm, blood was flowing freely down it.

"I'm okay," said Clinton, between deep breaths.

"Bullshit!" yelled Richards, who was the group's medic. He grabbed Clinton, and began digging the bullet out, while the others formed a circle of protection around them.

It took about three minutes for Richards to patch Clinton up. Canadian soldiers were consistently encountering them, before being killed.

The tank near them that had been firing nonstop, was destroyed violently by an enemy anti-tank missile. Leaving them out in the open. Jefferson quickly jumped up to their crippled vehicle's gun, and began firing. With the tank gone, they were facing heavy fire. David risked a peek on the other side of the vehicle. There was a pool of bodies collecting not far from the vehicle. They were all Jefferson's kills.

Clinton gasped in pain for a moment when he shouldered his rifle.

"Don't worry about me," he said. "I can still shoot."

"Dammit Clinton," said Richards. "Whatever, if you still want to shoot, keep to the back, you're crippled."

Clinton nodded before taking out a soldier to the east of their cover.

They began facing heavier fire, from all directions. David was leaned up against the vehicle taking out enemies that popped up over the hill behind them. It was frightening not being able to smell them coming in this cold, and he couldn't discern the sound of their footsteps either, with all the noise around.

There was a loud group of clangs as bullets began bouncing off of the vehicle armor. Jefferson was covered in blood leaking from a wound in his shoulder, that he wouldn't let Richards treat.

David turned around, and began firing on the other side of the vehicle, only to hear a click. He quickly reloaded, surprised that he had already emptied two magazines.

The Canadians were losing the battle. The longer it drove on, the fewer enemy soldiers they encountered.

As David fired at another enemy, he saw a mass of fur fall to his left, and looked. He almost threw up right there in the snow.

It was Jefferson's head.

David could only think about how Jefferson hadn't wanted to be here in the first place, but had heroically kept shooting, even after being shot. He would make sure he wasn't forgotten.

Bill quickly reached up over the side of the vehicle, grabbed his tags, and stuffed them in his pocket.

"This is unreal," he said.

David wasn't even given time to agree before he had to kill again. He had taken twelve lives today.

The remaining wolves all stood up. The enemy had stopped firing on their position, and they began to advance. Bullets flew more frequently than they had all day while they were running in the open. One of the two remaining vehicle crew members was gunned down. Richards grabbed his tags quickly, and they continued, after Bill dispatched his killer.

They found shelter behind a crippled tank, about three hundred meters from their last position. The enemy soldiers just kept coming. Clinton's shots were becoming less frequent. His bandage had come loose while they were running, and he was bleeding profusely. He refused to allow Richards to treat him again.

"I'll be fine, dammit!" he yelled. "Just keep shooting!"

"God dammit Clinton!" yelled Richards. "You're gonna bleed to death, if I don't fix that!"

After hearing that. Clinton reluctantly gave in, and allowed Richards to redo his bandage. Bullets were flying overhead. David killed an enemy soldier unfortunate enough to walk around the side of the tank. The remaining crewman jumped away from the tank, following a target that had disappeared behind a pile of metal. As soon as he left cover, he was gunned down. He managed to get a shot off, but David had to finish off the soldier who was only wounded.

"I don't think I'll be collecting his tags just yet," said Bill, somehow able to joke in the hellish battlefield.

David rolled his eyes before returning to firing. Another soldier down, he was on a roll.

Clinton, all patched up, returned to his side, taking out a Canadian that appeared just behind David.

"Thanks for that," said David. "It's impossible to hear in this place."

"You would've done the same thing for me," said Clinton modestly.

Their conversation was cut short as a group of five enemy soldiers appeared from behind them. They were quickly dispatched.

David continued firing. He was running low on ammunition.

"I'm almost out!" he yelled over the noise. "I'm going to recover some from the dead crewman!"

Bill almost stopped him, but decided against it. David would be in worse shape, if he didn't have ammunition.

David ran from the tank, and dove under a pile of metal. He reached out and grabbed the shoulder of the crewman, and pulled him to where he was. He quickly found the ammunition, which he had barely used any of, and pocketed it.

David quickly reloaded, and killed a Canadian that had followed him from his cover.

"It's impossible to do anything outside of cover!" thought David, as he ran back to the tank.

David kept all of the ammo he needed, and distributed the rest amongst the others.

"Is this ever gonna stop?" yelled Richards, who had impaled an enemy who jumped over the tank, with his bayonet.

David was wondering the same thing as he killed another enemy. He was running low again.

"Shit! I'm out!" said Bill.

"I'm on my last!" David yelled back.

"I'm gonna go get some from that soldier over there," said Bill, pointing to a wolf dead on the ground not far from them.

"Be careful," said David. "I got lucky."

"I'll be fine," replied Bill, before running away.

David's rifle clicked to a stop, he was completely out of ammunition. He only had his pistol left, which he immediately pulled out.

There was a loud boom, as a friendly bomb took out a group of enemies not far from their position, giving them a short reprieve. David looked around to see if there was another source of ammo, when he came across a horrible sight. Bill was on the ground.

"No!" yelled David, as he ran out of cover.

He pulled Bill back towards their cover. His breathing was labored, most of his bottom jaw was missing, and he had a gruesome wound in his chest.

"Richards! Come Here!" yelled David frantically.

Richards appeared, and took a sad look at Bill.

"David. I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do for him," he said, devastated to see Bill like that.

David pulled Bill closer into his arms. He folded the torn flesh back over the hole in his chest.

"You're gonna be fine, Bill," said David, tears streaming down his face.

Bill just stared at him.

"You, and I both know that isn't true," said Bill, his speech slurred because of his jaw. "This is the way I always wanted to go."

"No! You'll be just fine," said David, knowing it wasn't true.

Bill painfully reached forward, and grabbed David's shirt.

"David," he said. "Take care of my pup."

Bill coughed up some blood.

"And David," he continued. "Tell my wife, I will always love her. In this life, and the next one I'll wait for her in."

And then David's only friend in the world, died in his arms.

War was cruel.