Thread: The Innocent: phtlc and Asterisk

The Innocent Europe, in the not to distant future. The global financial crisis of the early 21st century turned out to be greater than any of the leaders acknowledged. THE global economy tanked and markets were in disarray, while unemployment soared. To add to this three other additional problems exacerbated the global condition. Food crops were on the decline and oil was running out but most disastrous, the worlds fresh water supply was in rapid decline. Wheat and harvests could not be sustained and the spillover affected livestock. People were going hungry. It was worse in the developing nations, but even western nations were faced with dire times. Subsequently, nationalistic interests started dominating regional and global trade issues. Nations started looking out for their own. The EU breaks up, as does APEC. NAFTA is revamped into an amalgamation of the US and Canada while a standoff begins between Mexico and the new America. South America breaks into civil wars. As does most of Asia. China and Russia had collaborated in a joint seizure of the middle east, but the alliance soon broke apart and they fought each other, eventually weakening each others forces in the region so that a United Arab Continent drove them out. A border skirmish continued between the two nations until internal strife in each country caused a cessation. Russia and China were breaking apart. With no access to middle eastern or Russian oil, Canadian oils being hoarded in North America, and massive famine, most of Europe followed suit and started breaking down into regional wars, civil wars and even ethnic struggles between various factions. No country was immune. The maps of Europe no longer looked the same. Savage fighting between groups was the norm as territories were seized and their original inhabitants either driven out, murdered or enslaved. Atrocities of epic proportions were happening across Europe, against innocent civilians. Age or gender were not grounds for being granted mercy. If civilians in an overrun city could be used for labor or in forced brothels they were spared. All others were put to death. Mass murders, mass rapes.all form of atrocity had become the norm. The strongest would survive by wiping out all others in their region and controlling the limited resources. The Battle. Our advance had been halted by a strong defense mounted by the regional militia. The city, which was barely more than a large town was well defended due to its unique strategic position. It was critical that we seize this territory to be able to dominate in this war and drive out those bastards we had been fighting for 2 and a half years. A stalemate had been in place for some time, but our forces were finally driving them back and would soon either run them out or kill them all. This particular offensive would be a critical turning point. My platoon had been carrying out a reconnaissance for the larger formation, but had been pinned down and had taken some causalties for which I was not happy. The defenders had quite effectively barricaded themselves in trenches reminiscent of the first world war, yet the proved quit effective. Eventually however, our heavy artillery had made it into place and battered their positions allowing reinforcements to come forward and support us. This allowed us to advance rapidly and overrun the defenders. Some were foolish enough to try to surrender, but our men were furious and fed them bayonets as they cried for mercy. The commander of our opposition realized the futility of trying to hold the ground at this point and ordered a fighting withdrawal. He had of course made a tactical error letting us get this close before doing so. We had clear fields of fire and the high ground as they retreated, which allowed our machine guns to cut them down mercilessly as they retreated to the wood line across the valley. As they neared it, the artillery joined the fun and started pulverizing their formations. Broken and demoralized with much fewer numbers, they were in panicked disarray. As another group moved through they pursued the fleeing enemy in hopes of cutting them off and wiping them out. My platoon however, had to clear a small village on the outskirts of the town, while our army ransacked the current town looting and burning. The screams of the idiot civilians claiming to be non-combatants were irritating fortunately however they were cut off by the sound of automatic weapons fire. Moving into the village I employed machine ginners off to a flank and moved what remained of my platoon in, as we cleared from house to house along the little ridge. All that remained to be cleared was a few more houses. Suddenly shots rang out from the last couple of houses and one of my men went down. Furious I ordered my men to fire rockets into these and rake them with machine gun fire as we maneuvered up and tossed grenades through the windows. Clearing through the houses we shot anyone we found, for the most part. Some of my guys found pretty ladies and decided to take them alive for personal use. These ladies would have been better off dead, but again it was a savage time we lived in. My men would satisfy themselves with the womens bodies, subjecting them to cruel depravity, showing absolutely no mercy. These ladies would likely be screaming day and night for the next few days until their voices were too hoarse to cry out. After that they would likely be sent to a brothel for our guys, or sent to labor. As I entered a house that had appeared empty I started to relax until I heard noises in the attic. Moving up, I mounted the stairs quietly and stopped at the entrance. Suddenly I threw my weight into the door busting it open as I moved into the darkened space. Movement to my right caught my eye as I saw a peasant with an old rifle starting to aim at me awkwardly as though he was not accustomed to combat. Moving faster, I pointed my barrel at the man and unleashed a burst which caught him full in the chest, dropping him down on the floor. Another form moved to grab the weapon and I gave that a burst. It turned out to be his wife. Moving up I finished the job on the two moaning figures to silence them. Looking around, I heard a slight sound, ever so faint coming from a cabinet. Moving up carefully I yanked it open, weapon at the ready and just barely stopped myself from firing. Huddled in there was a young teenaged girl, terrified with good reason, looking at me wide eyed expecting to die at any moment. I contemplated shooting her right there and then, but reconsidered. We would be holding this position for the next several weeks while follow through forces moved on and pursued the enemy. We were basically getting a sort of RR. She was young and innocent, and would be of considerable pleasure to me during that time. Reaching in I grabbed her by the hair and yanked her out, throwing her on the floor, as she screamed. Looking into her terrified eyes, pouring with tears I asked her one questiondo you want to live?.