2 Retreat

Empire of Japan

Location: Outskirts of Igarka(Former Soviet City)

Date: 1963, February 16th.

Time: 11.59 A.M

Limbs were flung everywhere. Charles saw the lieutenant take a backwards flip with both his legs being separated from his and flown to a location away from the main body. The shock-wave ended his life immediately. The nearby soldiers were either stunned, knocked out, dead or a loss of limbs as well. Charles felt his spine go cold. Losing the lieutenant this early in the attack was a bad omen. The next in command the second lieutenant was trying to grasp the situation of what just happened, he was out of commission at the moment.

As Charles wasn't going to die here in a pitiful battle so he started to do a retreat. He found a mound further back and dashed towards it, avoiding the rain of bullets from the Nazi German gunfire. Charles was looking for Yash and spotted him emptying his clip onto the troops of the enemy.

"Yash, retreat back here!" Charles shouted in Russian so the second lieutenant couldn't understand. Yash being soaked up in his war craze needed a couple shouts before he heard it. He looked back at where Charles voice came from and with an annoyed look dashed towards the same mound.

"What's up? Why are you back here?" Yash asked.

"Lieutenant Kawanabe is dead." Charles explained. Yash with a surprised look turned his head towards where the lieutenant was last seen by him only to find him laying on the ground with both legs missing, lying dead in the snow. Realizing Charles point of view Yash face grew hard.

"Got any ideas? We can't return to base, deserters will be shot on sight." Yash questioned Charles.

"I have one, I've been thinking about it for some times being up here." Charles responded.

Charles was station at Igarka with his auxiliary platoon covering the river from any small Nazi German forces. The location didn't have to much of a strategical place for the Nazi Germans, so only two platoons were stationed there. The Igarka bridge over the river had been destroyed so and the port heavily defended to the Nazi Germans could never invade the city itself. There was only one point further up north where Nazi German soldiers could cross with landing crafts as there was a beach head there. To cut them off and lay an ambush the command had told them to intercept the Nazi German troops an hour from the beach head. Routing the expedition force in an unexpected attack only one platoon was needed for this mission.

As Charles serving in Igarka for five months he already had a plan for escaping. The river Yenisei. On the south side of the town there was an old man with a fishing boat that had gotten friendly with Charles. He promised that anytime he wanted to go fishing he would take Charles out further south along the river to the best fishing spot. From there they would travel south to Japanese-Mangolia, where they would travel towards Japanese-China to an old acquaintance. The traveling would take around 6 months, but to Charles China was a place where he could grow in power away from the war. The vast resources of the land was something he could use to his own benefit.

Charles explained the escape route to Yash, as he also was acquaint with the same person. Yash agreed.

Charles watched over the battlefield looking for opportunities that would present themselves before him. The auxiliary platoon was getting worn down, and the shock the Nazi German troops suffered from the ambush were gone. More and more auxiliary troops were getting hit by Nazi German deadly weapons. The second lieutenant had regained his senses and started ordering the troops. He also realized what Charles had, that this battle was lost. His hands were shaking and the incoming Nazi German onslaught was pushing back the surprise attack.

"Los!" A Nazi German officer was shouting at the top of his lungs seeing the battle make a turn in their favor. The Nazi German troops were pinning down the central positions of Charles platoon leaving an opening for Charles and Yash to make an escape further back. Charles took this chance immediately and be lined it for a cluster of fallen trees covered in snow 50 feet back while Yash was covering with suppressing fire.

When Charles got in position at the fallen tree cluster he covered Yash's dash as well. A stray bullet ripped out a chunks of nearby wood spraying both Charles and Yash.

"This is taking to long." Yash voiced his concern. Charles had the same thoughts, there wasn't enough opportunities for them to retreat far enough from the battle without getting discovered.

"Do we really just go for it? The second lieutenant might not notice." Charles thought to himself. The second lieutenant was occupied by fear and trying to control the battlefield. There was a dead sergeant by the second lieutenants feet, this auxiliary platoon was only fitted with seven Japanese soldiers, five sergeants, a second lieutenant and a lieutenant. The second lieutenant looked at his three last remaining countrymen, they knew for sure that they would die here. As there is no honor is retreat, only by death on the battlefield.

Spotting the look in the second lieutenants eyes Charles understood what he was about to do. He respected the Japanese code of honor, but at the same time felt it was a waste to drive yourself to death when retreating and coming back stronger is a better strategical solution. Charles would rather have these soldiers come back with this experience and battle hardened mindset. Charles looked towards Yash and nodded that it was time to fully retreat from the battlefield.

The second lieutenant gathered the men that weren't suppressing the Nazi German soldiers and spoke of his plan to counter push. He looked in the eyes of the people from various nations around him, and saw that the Japanese battle spirit had been trained into them from training. Most of the auxiliary troops nodded in consent to the plan.

"For the Empire of Japan!" The second lieutenant shouted and hoisted his gun.