A Mulluran officer meeting was in progress as it looked to the peeping Captain Wallace as he looked through with his head piece, through a wall in a building northwest of the Quartermaster's building. In the background, explosions could be heard and the sounds of phaser fire.
Wallace waited and watched the officers discuss their situation. He couldn't hear them but understood what they were talking about. In all, six officers where in this room. It looked like a Battalion meeting with company commanders and battalion commander present.
Battalion commander was a fat Mulluran. He started pointing his fingers at his men, more than less blaming them for their present situation, which was now desperate, long past hopeless. Wallace exhaled and blew very slowly not allow the warm air to mix with the cold air at once. He slid his thumb over the target focus bringing up the Red Cross hairs on his headpiece.
Richard picked out an officer off in the distant part of the conference. He was pouring a drink and then sat down. Nobody was paying attention. Wallace brought the cross hairs over the officer's neck, and pulled the trigger. Within seconds the shot struck its victim. The Mulluran officer fell forward. Wallace quickly made his way down the table where the last three officers were standing up looking over a map. They turned to see why nobody had responded, including the battalion commander. They saw four officers lying in a pool of blood. Wallace put a shot between the forehead of the battalion commander. Wallace shortly did that to the remaining officer.
To Wallace the last two kills reminded him of a ripe tomato exploding. He felt nothing for those he just killed. He had no sense of remorse or regret. He knew then he had spent too long out in the front. "Colonel Tarik this Captain Wallace I'm coming back."
The trip to the friendly lines was not long at all. In fact it took only an hour. Most of the defending and remaining enemy soldiers were in the North West sector of the city, they held a thin and small line. Richard realized on the way back to the lines his friend John Anderson was dead, he felt sorrow but knew he couldn't cry just yet. He had to be tough and show no emotion. For this was Captain Richard Wallace.
Upon reaching the friendly lines, Tarik's Marines kept looking at Captain Wallace in amazement. Indeed they weren't too sure of him. What they heard before this was all talk. Now they knew that Wallace wasn't just another Starfleet Captain. He was also one of them. Colonel Tarik walked up to Wallace as he walked towards the shell of a building that now served as Command Post.
"Captain, I am glad to see you back. We have been pushing the enemy for the last 31 hours. It seems your picking out officers and NCO's has played merry hell on the morale of the enemy." Tarik seemed to be smiling, he noticed that Wallace wasn't. Richard was quiet and just nodded his head.
"If you excuse me I'd like to get a hot meal and some coffee." Richard took the hood off his poncho and looked up at the cloudy sky and wet his face in the rain. Richard was covered in mud and dirt, his face was rather scruffy looking for he had not shaved in three days.
"Yes, come this way." Tarik turned around and led the way to the shell struck building.
Upon walking in, Wallace looked around. He saw a few beds, a table with three computers, and another table. In the middle of the room was a fire. It sort of kept the room warm. It was a cool temperature outside. Wallace quickly took off his gully suit and rifle. Tarik brought him a cup of steaming hot coffee. Richard took it and sat down on a chair near the fire. He took a sip and it tasted like heaven.
"Sir, Commander Loran had to return to SB901. The Arizona is no longer above the planet. I've lost four men the past three days. I've counted over 460 dead enemy soldiers, and according to enemy radio interceptions you've taken twelve Lieutenants, six Captains, four Majors, nine Sergeants and one very fat Colonel.
I've also learned that they will be trying to make a push tomorrow, upon arrival of 100 replacements." Tarik handed a Padd to Wallace. Richard thought that Garek and the Sutherland were keeping reinforcements off the planet.
"Where did they come from?" Wallace asked sipping his hot coffee.
"On the western side of the planet is farming community. They rounded up 100 able-bodied males for service." Tarik pulled a chair up and sat next to the fire.
"Also we recovered Captain Anderson's body. Around him were over 167 Mulluran soldiers. I'm recommending him for the Medal of Honor." Tarik said looking at Wallace who stared into the fire thinking about the coming battle.
"When will the enemy make a push?" Wallace asked, changing the subject.
"According to their radio, sometime after 1300 hours. "
"How many men do they have now?"
"210 in a very thin line."
Captain Wallace stood up and walked over to the computer screen. He pressed a few buttons and the enemy positions showed up. The idea formatted in his head. He could see a clear cut victory despite the numbers against him. The battle plan was old but would more than work.
"Colonel, you think if Major Boyle disrupts the lines now and we push forward tonight that'll shrink their line even worse. We could push them back to the perimeter of the Quartermaster's office. We can then force them to withdraw out of the city, and use Boyle's pilots to force them up to this hill and forest to the west of the city. If we do that we can siege them and they will be forced to surrender.
"As I understand it they have no more armor. And this city is just a heap of ruins, I am sure that their commanding Officer doesn't want to die for some rubble." Wallace looked at Tarik and could see the plan but wasn't quite sure how it would work. Mainly because his men were tired. Tarik was quiet and then spoke.
"Sir we can make our own push, but how do you recommend that you drive the enemy to the hill and forest?"
"We split our forces after we cause them to push back."
"Ok, but how does that work?" Tarik asked knowing sometimes the enemy doesn't always do what you want them to do.
"Easy. I lead the repulse. Boyle will help with that. I'm going to ask for Captain Wilson to send down a detail of 41 men for us. This is how we do it. I take 26 men and hold back the counter-attack with a 12 man reserve. You take 34 and swing around to the right of our line and come to their rear and flank. While Major Boyle and his team bomb and strafe the hell out of them.
That'll cause panic once they see their only route of escape is the hill and forest. After they are there, it's our game then." Wallace stood up and walked over to a cot and took off his tunic.
"All right Captain, I'll brief the men. Sir, you should get some rest before the attack begins." Tarik said turning and walking back to where most of the Marines were.