So… Sarah’s a little hawkish, huh? Hmm…
Oh, man, this one went under the wire. I won’t burden you with specifics, but I am really under the weather and dropping fast. And this is supposedly a holiday week for me so discretion being the better part of valor, I’m dosing up on flu medicine and going to bed.
Oy vey. If I make it, I’ll see you all next week!
Remind me again, Major. Who’s incompetence at staying hidden on a covert recon mission caused all this in the first place?
What a bitch!
She’s still thinking about Placeman who she had apparent feelings for. At least Bronniford isn’t foaming at the like Haulley a couple of chapters ago but it’s human to look for someone to blame when things go wrong (though not smart nor constructive)
Combat readiness for what, exactly? Inquiring minds would like to know.
Frankly, I expected better from her. Then again, what she’s just been through personally (whatever the heck that was) is enough to rattle most people’s chips – and the news in this briefing is horrific enough anyhow.
Denial aint just a river in Egypt. Guessing there is more than a little of that here.
Get the sticks and stones then, hell the only thing I’d worry about is long term survival.
Actually Sarah, your botched rescue attempt started the nuclear holocaust.
… Said fact may be rattling around in the back of her head, and possibly explains some of her current behaviour.
Sure, this is all her fault but Sara has a point. The war might not be over and survivors will prob fall into two categories: civilians and two-legged hyenas with lots of firepower. Both of them competing for remaining resources. Our heroes need to get back to combat ready so they can kill the hyenas, protect the aid convoys (if those aren’t coming, everyone is f’d anyways…) clearing the field so the surviving civilian authorities (if any) can handle the rest. Mjr Rucker can be commended for his humanity, but wars don’t care about that, and he needs to start thinking two steps ahead. His group can’t save anyone on their own — but they might create the conditions for someone else to — and for that they need combat readiness. Yes, it’s a long-shot and it depends on the civvies also thinking things through like this and doing exactly the right thing… “Sometimes you just gotta roll the hard six”. Anyone got anything better?
“Two-legged hyenas” is probably a rather telling name on those who have found some kind of weapon and intend to survive no matter how many they have to kill.
Anyone who have played or seen people play Bohemia Interactive’s DAYZ (I am in the latter category) is probably wondering if also 2/3rds of regular people would shoot at anyone they can spot to get the equipment, food and water needed to survive, rather than trade and build relationships.
Trade & relationships would be the smart thing to do… which means it prob won’t happen. It would be really nice and life affirming if the shocked survivors were to band together for mutual support. Alas…
I should also state my view that there should be thousands of survivors — from the rural if not urban areas. A real humanitarian crisis, not the handful Rucker & Co. seem to expect and might conceivably handle on their own. *Thousands*. Of which hunger, thirst, exposure, disease, and injuries in the next few days/weeks will prob kill more than the nukes. Hence the hyenas and the good Major’s need to cannon up and maintain order while some To-Be-Decided provisional government gets its act together…
And if the rest of the world is in the same mess…
Two words: robust peacekeeping.
I’m about as learned on military strategies and tactics as Mr. Bean, but I would advocate a handful small armed search-and-rescue scout convoys into the wastes to check and aid survivors and to handle any armed nutcases with a gun.
Major Bronniford does have a point though. However hawkish she might be. Any nutcases or even straggler Federate forces who haven’t wised up might attempt a last gasp attack on the base.
As for the Federates already inside…is Haulley up for a meeting?
“Any nutcases or even straggler Federate forces who haven’t wised up might attempt a last gasp attack on the base.”
Unfortunately most probably true. Getting back to combat readiness should be a priority.
Besides, who knows if there would there be more waves of “exchanges”?
“WE CANNOT ALLOW A MINESHAFT GAP!!!”
Seriously, cue “We’ll Meet Again” by Vera Lynn because it would appear that indeed, War Never Changes. Major, it really doesn’t matter who started it or has this failed to sink in? Civilisation as you know it has ended, there is no Alliance or Federation left for all you know, exactly who are you going to fight? The Super Mutants? Ceaser’s Legion?
I’d suggest the Enclave. No one likes those guys anyhow.
After nukes are used there may be survivors, but for how long? And with the trade winds and jet streams how much further will the dangerous contamination?
Wars won’t stop till the last human dies. For to war seems to be in our make up even though the majority do not want it. But can be convinced to do so. Now if we make no more war, will we still be human or something else?
To reuse an often used quote “War, War never changes”
An a less often used quote “As long as there are two people on the planet, someone is going to want somebody else dead”