Greenies

computers of the other three platoon commanders in the company — they were in on the conversation but all so junior they didn't dare talk unless spoken to). 'This is the position our battalion will be securing,' he said. 'It's known as Hill 657 on the Martian maps and it's located in grid Charlie-nine. It rises one hundred and forty meters above the mean ground level of the valley and is one of the most important defensive positions the Martians have to guard the central gap access route. Intel estimates it is staffed with company strength — two platoons of anti-tank infantry, two platoons of straight infantry armed with M-24s, grenade launchers, and eight to ten squad automatic weapons. The flanks of the hill are guarded by a number of APCs and main battle tanks, although the MBT's will probably not be in a position to support the Martian infantry against ground attack. There are at least two eighty- millimeter mortar platoons stationed behind this hill in addition to the Martian mobile guns back at the main line of defense. The artillery will not be subject to counter-battery fire, as you're aware. All of our guns are hiding back out of range of the Martian 250s and being held in reserve for the eventual attack on the main line. However, the Martian 150s will only be effective against us during the dismount period and for the first three hundred meters of the advance. After that, the bulk of the hill itself will serve to protect us from them.'

'What about the mortars though?' Callahan asked. 'We've seen what they're capable of doing with them.'

'They will be able to drop mortar fire on us until we're roughly at the base of the hill,' Ayers said. 'Their mortar teams, however, will be subject to counter-battery fire from our own mortar teams who will be firing from their APCs two kilometers back.'

'Won't the Martians just counter-battery our mortars with their 150s?' he asked.

'They'll be shooting and scooting,' Ayers said. 'Counter-battery casualties should be minimal.'

'That's what we said about our mobile guns,' Callahan pointed out. 'And they fuckin' massacred them, remember? What makes you think they won't use whatever spies in the sky they have to pinpoint mortar teams as well? Hell, they could even hit them with their 250s, couldn't they?'

'I have no information on that, Callahan,' Ayers said testily. 'I'm just giving you the briefing that I've been given.'

Callahan sighed, stretching back in his command chair for a moment. 'Understood, cap,' he said. 'Please continue.'

'Okay,' Ayers said. 'This is the attack plan in a nutshell. The tanks will roll in first and start putting suppressing fire on their trench network. They'll concentrate on the anti-tank positions first and then switch to the lower positions — where the main resistance against us is going to be coming from — once we start to dismount. Alpha and Bravo Companies will hit the front and lay down heavy suppressing fire of their own once they achieve defilade from the Martian mortars at the base of the hill. Delta Company will hit the left flank of the hill and start working their way up to the trench network on that side. We'll hit the right flank and do the same from that side. Now remember, there are APCs guarding the flanks of the hills. In order to maintain defilade from their machine guns and their 60mm guns, we're going to have to wind through this series of knolls at the hill base here, here, and here.' A red line traced its way over the map, showing the route that would keep them out of the line of fire — in defilade — of the Martian APCs.

'From there,' he continued, 'we climb, moving on our bellies most likely. The slope of this hill is about twenty-five percent on average. It's very rocky and covered with loose sand on the side we'll be ascending. They'll be putting M-24 and SAW fire on us and possibly grenade fire. We'll use heavy covering fire from two platoons while a third advances and the fourth hangs back. Move your platoons up ten and fifteen meters at a time and then leapfrog around each other until we get close enough to start putting grenade fire through the openings in the trenches. That should keep the direct fire suppressed even more. We move up further until we can breach the trench. Once we're inside, we simply clear them out of there. All of this is assuming they don't retreat prior to that point. We're deliberately leaving their rear open so they have that option.'

'Hopefully they'll decide to take that option,' Callahan said. 'Because if they don't, we're gonna take a hell of a lot of casualties.'

'Medical teams have been alerted and are moving up,' Ayers said. 'So far it appears the Martians are not deliberately hindering casualty evacuation from the battlefield, so at least if you get hit, we'll be able to take care of you.'

'Yes,' said Callahan, 'and we're already conveniently pre-zipped into these body bags they call biosuits. Isn't that nice?'

'Enough of that shit, Callahan,' Ayers scolded, though without much venom. 'If everyone understands their role in the coming attack, why don't you get your squad leaders and the rest of your platoons briefed in. Be sure to let your APC drivers know that they need to follow the goddamn map and stay in formation no matter what. Let your APC gunners know to stick to their zones when laying down suppressing fire. Part of the reason the tanks were hit so hard was they were putting their fire all over the place and leaving a lot of the Martian firing positions uncovered with suppression fire. Stick to those zones and follow the routes we've come up with and we should be able to keep casualties to a minimum.'

'And just what is the minimum?' Callahan asked. 'Only twenty percent? Forty maybe?'

'You're out of line, Callahan,' Ayers said dryly. 'Get the briefings done and be ready to move out in thirty minutes.'

Among the platoon leaders, only Callahan noticed that Ayers hadn't answered his question.

'They're moving in,' said Sergeant Walker to his squad just after 0400. 'We have the almost live telemetry again from whatever source Intel is using to spy on them. They're spread out like before, tanks in front coming in hot, APCs behind, mortar teams and support battalions behind that. ETA to first contact, five minutes.'

'Oh yeah,' said Hicks, who had given up the SAW to Drogan and was now manning a position near the end of the trench with his M-24. 'I'm lovin' this now.'

'You gotta die sometime, Hicks,' Walker told him. 'Hopefully it won't be this morning. Command estimates they're going to put suppressing fire on the anti-tank positions first and then bring up their APCs to dismount their troops. Once they start doing that they're more than likely going to start plastering our positions to keep us from firing on them. If the fire gets overwhelming our orders are to hunker down until it eases up. Adjoining hillsides will expand their zones to pick up the slack if they can. Likewise, if one of the hills to the north or south comes under heavy fire we're to expand our zones to take the pressure off them. We have to make sure that no exposed Earthling soldier down there doesn't have someone shooting at him. If they wanna take this hill, they're gonna have to pay the price for it.'

'What about arty support?' Drogan asked.

'We have two batteries of 150s committed to this position,' Walker replied. 'Lieutenant Comesly will be serving as the forward spotter and directing that fire. We also have our mortar teams on the backside of the hill. Platoon lieutenants will be directing that fire and it will be answered based on priority.'

'What kinda numbers we looking at to be attackin' us?' asked Jeff.

'Hard to tell by the telemetry at this point,' Walker replied. 'But you can bet your ass it'll be at least battalion strength hitting every hill, possibly more.'

'That would be about four to one or so?' Jeff asked.

'Roughly,' Walker said. 'You didn't expect them to fight fair now, did you?'

'No, not really,' Jeff said, watching as the heat tendrils and the swelling dust cloud grew more distinct.

The rumbling vibration of the approaching vehicles became noticeable again and grew worse. The tension grew thicker and the communication over the tactical channel became less and less frequent. Nobody seemed to have much to say anymore.

'Tanks coming into range,' Walker suddenly announced. 'AT positions engaging.'

His observation was not entirely necessary since everyone could plainly see that the AT teams above them and on the hillsides around them were engaging. The flashes of laser weapons began to light up the night once again. Almost immediately the flashing of tank guns from just over the horizon began to answer back, sending streams of eighty millimeter shells streaking towards them. Explosions began to sound as their hill was hit but it was clear from the first that the volume of return fire was not nearly as intense as it had been during the first attack, when it had seemed like the entire hill was going to collapse atop them.

'Tanks approaching,' Drogan announced. 'Breaching the horizon across the whole line.'

Jeff saw the forms of the main battle tanks becoming visible, three then four then eight then a dozen then