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This week we join the men of Alpha Company 4th Platoon during operations in South Africa.

Alpha 4 reached the rendezvous point at 1700 hours eRepubliK time where they, along with most of the US military began to offload Q-Class weapons and supplies. This was a major operation; the MI along with the rest of the US military was going to take down the Indonesian empire once and for all. Orders were for a long deployment which meant our dashing veterans would be performing a duel civilian assistance mission for this often abused and chaotic nation state of South Africa.

The platoon looked confident as they hunkered down in their commandeered South African army barracks. Finally, they had been given a real tough overseas assignment worthy of their collective attention. Resistance wars can be dirty affairs and there is nothing like going toe to toe with a former major superpower to increase moral.
Alpha Company CO Lt. Col. Drumdude06 addressed the platoon as he made his rounds, “Welcome to South Africa. I want everyone to triple check their weapons before we enter combat. If anyone missed the supply drop you know you can contact Maj. Sideswipe in QMG. Alpha 4 does NOT fight shorthanded under any circumstances.”
MI weapons made by the MI for the MI, it doesn’t get any better than that.
Lt. CenCom spoke, “OK people here is the situation, the Indonesians are trying to move across the south of the country to use as a springboard into South America. It’s our job to stop them. That means we are going to counter attack to the South West by crossing the Orange River. Alpha 4 has been given to the honor of being the ones to secure the bridge crossing at Kimberly so we can push our tanks south. We are going to do this in two squads. 1st and 2nd squads are going to rush the waterline on our side of the bridge and provide covering fire while 3rd squad is going to cross it. Pvt. Jonathan Greene is going to deactivate all mines or explosives that are attached to the bridge so they can’t blow it up in our faces. Good luck everyone, remember the MI always pulls through.”

Jonathon Green sighed, when ever something that required brains came up he was volunteered to do it, it seemed like just because he was physics major that he could do anything. “Sir, what exactly do I know about bomb defusal?” he asked.
“It’s just like physics, you’ll be fine” replied Lt. CenCom
“And how is that, Sir?” Jonathan questioned back.
“Ok, so you physics people think the whole universe started with a big ole bang, right? Well, if you mess up defusing a bomb you get a big ole bang, see? They are the same. Here are some tin snips, good luck.”

The half tracks dropped the platoon off in the built up residential area just north of the bridge. Sgt. Zoline, the Platoon XO, lead the way by busting into a small house and setting up his machine gun while Pvt. Wyatt Courtwright looked for targets down the scope of his sniper rifle. “Looks clear, Sarge,” he said “although I don’t like the looks of those two empty military trucks about a quarter of a click away. They could be abandoned or they could be the rides home for our opposition.”
“They could be our rides home as well.” Pvt. John Gay said “What do you think an Indo-army truck in prime condition goes for on the black market down here in SA. I bet we could make a fortune selling them.”
“I wouldn’t start taking out that second mortgage right away, Wyatt.” Lt. CenCom said with a grin as he re-cradled the receiver on the radio.
“Huh, why not? You can’t have em’ all to yourself, we share, I would only need the extra 15% finders fee.” Lt. CenCom simply smiled.
Overhead Wyatt got his answer. A flight by a US Air force F-16 squadron turned the peaceful scene in front of them into an inferno of red and gold fireworks. The trucks and much of the surrounding territory south of the bridge went up in smoke.
“Because I am a god and with this radio, I can make hellfire rain! Fear my god radio!!!” Lt. CenCom screamed with a maniacal smile on his face.

Outside Pvt’s Rever, who received his Super Solider 2 medal the day before, and MeatMachine were setting up their equipment when the ground line in front of them blew up. Rever remarked "Looks like the CO decided to turn on the fireworks.” while he and MeatMachine opened fire at the disorganized Indo-soldiers. That explosion has chased out the enemy like ants under a rock. Both Pvt’s are 10+ strength Colonels who know their way around the battlefield. As soon as they see the enemy scattering into the open they let lead fly with pinpoint accuracy. The explosions have forced the enemy out of their hiding spots and disoriented them enough that they aren’t providing much return fire.
Pvt. Davian Carter is the company sniper, a General in rank and a former Platoon CO. He opens up along with the Lt. CenCom although with very different purposes. Davian Carter’s damage numbers are impressive mostly because of his long service time and his proficiency in leading his targets. They provided the necessary covering fire while the XO lead the 3rd squad across.

Pvt’s Miles Edgeworth, Guolin, who lied about his age to join the military and is younger than you may think, and Wyatt Courtwright followed their XO and began their run from their point of cover to their target. The smoke from the burning trucks obscures their dash across the small two lane bridge.
“Move it Edgeworth, I can’t have you lagging behind like you did back in Training. Why do you think I make you run laps and shoot goats all day (much to the dismay of Lvl Six Ftw) during practice assaults? It isn’t for the health of the goats”. You got to keep those new guys in line.
Jonathan Greene fell behind and stopped at a tangle of wires placed along the side the bridge. “You go ahead; I have to cut these wires before they blow us back to Karnataka. God damnit!!! Why don’t they just make this easy and give me a red wire to cut. Dam Indonesians and their “red is a happy color” crap. (Yeah, what’s with that? Haven’t the ever seen M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village”?) Make my damn job harder is what they do.”
Pvt. Guolin and the Sgt. Zoline reached the end of the bridge first. Once across they dispatch an Indonesian Commander who was urging his troops to stop retreating and come back and fight. He obviously didn’t remember his country was all out of money, tanks, and good soldiers. And he forgot he was going up against the MI.
3rd Squad set up in a nearby ditch and begin to open fire on the retreating Indonesians. Once across the rest of Alpha 4 joined them.
Lt. CenCom directed his Troopers, “Ok people dig in, we have to hold this position for another 2 hours before massive reinforcements come though. Excellent job everyone. Every mission you guys earn my respect as one of the best damn outfits we have in our entire military.”

Two hours later on the clock tick tanks from the MI and the rest of the military enter Kimberly for their drive south. As they drive the Indonesians out of South Africa they pass a sign posted at the end of the small bridge. The sign read “This Bridge is Courtesy of Alpha 4”


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Respectfully submitted
Hampton H. Hampton
Mobile Infantry Press Officer
Ajax Archimedes
Asst. Writer

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