{Inspiration: Union Dixie - a definite staple of its time, but a worthwhile hearing. Also every Saturday/Sunday will be dedicated to an original piece from now on.}

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- The Second battle for Vicksburg -

-0500-

"Rise and shine, Alpha-10! Get prepared to storm the riverside of Vicksburg in two hours, we're stealth-infiltrating into the city. However, get ready to see MSF boots in the city as well, they shall enter the Eastern front. "

"Aye, A-10L!"

We've prepared for this battle a whole three months now. We're embarking upon the same city the Union fighters struck as to cripple the Confederacy - happily we embraced it being a second battle for Vicksburg. For these are the few holdouts of a splinter faction that embraced the tradition of the Confederacy and thought the Government dead long ago. Irony that factionalism is what helped us start winning this war and making substantial gains, hopefully that Alpha team up in Cheboygan recovered from that horrid ambush.

"A-10L we need you for a second."

"Roger. What's the conflict, A-10E?"

"We're equipped to counter their equipment but reports are coming in, from ours and MSF's, that these Neo-confederates are using a prototype gas and are willing to fire on anyone, anywhere, that doesn't hail allegiance immediately."

"Thank you, A-10E. Has this been reported to A-10S?"

"Actually A-10S reported this to me for which the Grand SIR reported to A-10S."

"Roger, understood. Report back to last manned station."

"Roger, understood."

It didn't strike me odd that these Neo-confederates were asinine enough to deploy gas in general, but to put faith into them was another. Heh, their enslavement of robots in general sickened me as a robot myself, so why should I be surprised? In fact, why should I worry about things outta my control - I can certainly perceive it bad but I should let my passions be employed elsewhere to more things that are within my control and what we, Alpha-10, can control together when we spend our collective labour struggling with such. Alone, I couldn't take on Vicksburg, but together with Alpha-10 as one heart, one soul and one arm, we can annihilate the opposition ahead of us... Time to prepare my weaponry and recall the scouts and spies, I ain't seeing this turn so nicely for the first few days.

-0600-

"A-10L, A-10S patching in. Reporting in for accounting, all mine under my delegated command are present and prepared for the charge. Over."

"Roger that, charge begins no less than one hour. Ensure all equipment is in order. Over."

"Roger, understood. Over."

Upon that radio call, I hear the transports pull up - the spies and scouts are here safe and sound. They all collectively reported in and ensured that no civvies remained in the city, only Neo-confederate troops and the enslaved-robots they couldn't rescue. One reported in that the total expandable payload ranged from 50-100 kilos at any given moment, all that amount could be replaced within days if given that amount of time. Furthermore, their emplacements were mobile and can switch at the snap of the fingers - nothing was resolute in their entrenchment. Another reported that they have the city walls hunkered down, but the sewers have rather been shaking rather crazily lately - they predict that a combination of multiple subjects of ex-humans stalk the sewers and are ready to pop out at any moment. I in turn asked if they lodged some manholes so that we can utilize their wildcard aid in the heat of battle - they all grinned in response. After that meeting, I thanked them for their effort and requested them to act as info-relays for any possible enemy counter-attacks.

Before I could report to A-10S about my recent discoveries, a spy strolled up to me and whispered something they were afraid of publicly declaring to the other spies and scouts. She stating:

"A few amongst our fold are Neo-confederate double-spies, none chimed in but we've got full details of who they are. We need to strike them down while they still muck about here."

"Give me five minutes and all will be shot accordingly, especially in public display of the troops I man. Can I have the names, and you start finding trust-worthy spies to capture these doubles."

"Aye, roger that A-10L."

This wasn't going to be a simple charge after all, time to tell this development to A-10S right now.

-0630-

By this time, with the help of a few picked hands and my troops, we managed to tie down and capture all the known doubles. By this time, I readied a quick pep speech before I fired upon the traitors and re-readied the troops for the charge again, getting the count once more before the first charge. By this time, I walked upon the stage with the traitors tied and saw the entirety of Alpha-10 that weren't traitors or the hand-picked executioners amongst my fold. By this time, I picked up the mic and sang loudly to wake up those traitors and doubles that thought it right to be Dixie agents.

"Away down South in the land of traitors where cotton's king and robots are chattels, us insurrectionists will win the battles. Each Dixie agent must understand that they must mind the Red Banner. Oh I wish I was in Vicksburg now, I'd make Secession traitors roar, for we'll put the traitors all to rout and I'll bet my boots we'll whip them out."

Even after the first sentence, they woke up in terror and tried to escape their bondage. Alpha-10 mockingly continued singing after my lil' mock speech with a chorus of:

"Then they'll wish they were in Dixie, away, away! Each Dixie agent must understand that they must mind the Red Banner, away, away, and we'll all go down to Dixie! Away, away, and we'll all go down to Dixie!"

Before we tortured them any further, we all collectively fell in our voice and they begun to generate dread in their head. The terror that actualized horror's desire. And my executioners began picking up the rifles and loading the magazines methodically, one bullet at a time. As they did that, I spoke rather calm:

"It's no secret we make no excuses for our Terror, our Revolting Terror mind you. A mere threat to the integrity of the Revolting Terror is permissible to criticism, at best, and, at worst, the wholesale effacing of opposition that certainly makes our life impossible and our movement stagnant. This much should be clear, but there's no time for speeches for we need all the time we have to not only prepare our charge but rendering these traitors ineffective in the enemy's hands. We've long went beyond the good-bad binary, now we are forced to take action and consider the implications of such - one wrong move and we are wiped away without mercy by Fortuna. Be thankful to your fellow spies and scouts, they saved us from certain doom again - and shall continue doing so as long as the enemy has some in their possession... Anyways, the main event."

As I stepped aside from the podium and shape-shifted my hands into laser weaponry, the executioners readied their arms instantly. On my command we raised the rifles to head level and we shot to kill so they're out of this World as soon as possible. The splatter damage from the headshots we pulled off... was certainly gore-impacting and gruesome, but war is Hell. Post-execution, I commanded the troops to their battle stages and told them to get extra ready for the charge in a few mikes.

-0655-

As I called the last sub-leader to get count and preparation assurance, I've gotten my troops ready at the line to expect heavy shelling before we even approach the riverbed. I made the call for no usage of artillery shelling on the city - but all around was free to shell lest we occupied danger-close to it. Only 5 mikes from now and we would embark on our greatest victory or the unexpected loss that'll have to be countered in the dreaded third battle for Vicksburg.

-0700-

"Alpha-10! The charge is a go, we got the green-light! Go! Go! Go!"

And a massive urah echoed the entire battlefield as they charged from multiple directions towards the Mississippi river that would act as a natural barrier into the city. They were cocked and loaded, ready for battle and moving as one Heart, one Arm and one Spirit - nothing would penetrate this surreal wave of new Humans, here today being the robots and old-era Humans. These boots moved not in fear of the possible stray bullets nor in the rush to get an order done but with determination to see an end to the war and put down the guns they had to muster. Their urahs with their thunderous thumps roared the Earth - which must've shocked the Dixie troops in place of the holy intervention that was to occur.

Then came the gas shelling from them Dixie troops - thump, bam, boom, thud! Their prototype quickly masqueraded the entire field and almost made the charge undetectable - what did they expect to accomplish but sniping us out when we left the fog? Thankfully we were smart to equip our gas-masks, as-is standard nowadays for our field gear, and, more importantly, low crawled when we saw the fog becoming lighter in density. Still no shots ranged and no bells nearby to toll for - this irked the Heck outta me pecking ærs oddly enough, but the recon assured no swing around counter-charges were attempted yet. We pushed forward, expecting maybe a crow's nest to light up or a mg placement to roar alive, but no offensive happened - as we got closer we started hearing a strange noise echoing from the city. I then contacted the assigned MSF officer if they're getting shelled and getting no other resistance, they responded with a sound affirmative and are approaching the city cautiously. Something's awry.

"MSF Officer [expunged], has your UAV detected any inner-city riots occurring? Over."

"Negative, A-10L. We are detecting, however, a mutiny between the enlisted and officer cadre. The enlisted telling the robots to work the artillery equipment while they fight the officer cadre - we have no clue if the mg placements nor the sniper spots are now staffed with robots as well. Over."

"Roger, understood. Over."

"Roger, understood. Over and out."

Yet as we had reached closer to the Mississippi, Dixies popped outta cover and took pot shots at my troops. CQC and danger-close firings ensued, I rushed to advance into the fray of my soldiers as to aide their efforts. Despite the element of surprise they used, we turned that around and made them mind the scarlet banner. As soon as we came by and bet our boots that we'll whip them out, we'd put them to rout - yet we encircled them and arrested these traitors to freedom and equality. We gave them an offer: military prisoner compliance, there was no other choice than that. Unsurprising for the veterans, they refused the offer and we'd lined them all up with their troops watching and fired away. If any non-veterans had wished to refuse, they humbled their pride as to not be executed today and would get revenge tomorrow. With them being carried back to our camp, we screamed our urahs towards the blue sky and I issued out the command to stay weary while crossing the Mississippi and continue the low-crawl towards the city 'til further cover was found.

And as a bloody Xmas miracle, we saw robots fleeing the city and attempting to cross the Mississippi, my troops abandoned attacking the city and aided the robots in any way possible. Most were smart to lay defenses against the city to prepare a counter-fire and others equally smart to help with the crossings for any disabled or impaired robots. I stayed on the Vicksburg side of the Mississippi and kept a close eye while attempting contact with the MSF Officer. Before I could do so, a small fight on the other side broke out with an enlisted Dixie against a fleeing robot refugee - I whipped out my laser revolver and pew'd the peckneck right in the head. They scurried away in the pure terror of the scene - can't blame them for doing so, I would've scampered off if I saw my foe killed in front of me. Returning back to the radio, they finally picked up and radio'd in:

"A-10L we bear some good news, we managed against a Dixie enlisted trap and robots came flooding from the city. Some we are interviewing right now are confirming our hypothesis that a mutiny is active and that they were told to staff the artillery - no words on the snipers or mg nests, but they're probably abandoned as they haven't been gunned down since the mutiny had been raging for a day or so. Over."

"Unsurprising, we siege them for a week and the officer cadre were incompetent to combat our propaganda that we infected the enlisted with. Over."

"Indeed, we'll give further development as the battle ensues. Over."

"Roger, understood. Over and out."

May us dæmons be blessed with anything more holier today?

-1100-

A-10S and I finally breached the city, with MSF only beating us by ten minutes as they had no river to cross. Now began our true assault into the city, and, more importantly, our fight against a weakened victor in this mutiny. Unsurprisingly we see corpses of ex-humans strung about and sprayed with bullets and laser shots, yet some stalked the buildings as silently as humanly possible - thus some troops were dispatched with dealing with the ex-humans and trying to steady them so we can pacify them and, better, reform their decayed Subject. I, while in complete and utter agreement, was under orders along with MSF to absolutely kill no ex-humans lest they get danger-close or in the CQC zone - except for two types of ex-humans: the Subject-Xs and Ys that have been spotted about. Current theory is that they're trying to amass a hive-mind organization through pheromones and exact revenge for their forced genetic changes. Time to see if they stalk these parts...

-1200-

A-10S and I, along with MSF, safely secured two hundred ex-humans so far, all being Subject-Zs. MSF mentioned that they encountered a hoard of Subject-Zs spearheaded by a Subject-X, yet, getting almost danger-close to the troops, a shot was fired and killed the Subject-X which made them all cease their run. Then, as a funky incident, they began speaking more clear English and experienced, what the Officer said was, "an existential crisis that immediately struck them in the fray of guns pointed at them." The MSF detachment became personal escort units outta of the city and made sure they wouldn't be agitated to fight again - totaled about fifty Subject-Zs. At this point, I made sure the command that all Subject-Xs and Ys where to eliminated on site was understood pretty well. Signs of Dixie and ex-Human struggles are clearly displayed here for the World to see, but the enlisted-officer struggles are still heard just a mere ten blocks down.

-1400-

As the last Subject-Z was either secured by us or retired into the sewers, we finally began our normal charge towards the centre; by this point being in contact with and now working more united with our MSF allies. I finally met the MSF Officer face to face, of course they were in a gas-mask and I, a robo-human, that certainly was a better version of Major General William "burn Atlanta to a crisp" Sherman and Brevet Major General August Willich combined. We shaked our hands and began singing Union Dixie, of course modified to our liking - oh the humanity that coursed through our spirits that truly united us into one Spirit. Yet our singing was interrupted after a few minutes of our great layperson choir by the shelling from the center.

-1500-

With the wise and intelligent decision-making, they choose to experiment with their prototype gas that was ineffectual to our gas-masks. But being dead in the air, it certainly was stinging my receptors and making me wheeze, I had to shut down my olfactory program as the smell was noxious and made tear-gas feel like accidental asphyxiation. But soon realizing that we marched on and we continued shouting "marsz!" in that time, they ceased shelling and returned back to their mutiny activities. We were almost danger-close for a mg firing - yet fired not they did. Expected upon us was another miracle, most of the winded enlisted Dixies straight up surrendered and gave up fighting altogether. Pulling a Dixie to the side that clearly was a veteran and interrogating him with my MSF Officer acquaintance, we asked why they were routing. They stated simply:

"Andri- sowry, Robo-human. Robo-human, our mutiny is over. We basically killed the Officer scum that wished to surrender us to the Government - the only ones that continue fighting are those still in a blood frenzy back in the officers' stronghold. We basically decided to quit fighting, this Dixie or Neo-confederacy bs really wasn't our taste. I fought because I was told that it would keep us away from the Government's conniving hands away, but really I think I understand it was just meant as a mere displacement to calm us down to really feel angry at you insurrectionists... I know I nae can repair my misdeeds and prejudiced actions, but I fully accept the consequences as I nae can live with myself. I nae can truly be sorry for the crimes I committed... The only repayment I can give is that the gas wasn't meant for you but meant to entrap us from a full retreat..."

Looking to my troops ahead, I told some to get the surrendered Dixies rallied up and away from the gas fray while telling the rest to advance on without us. Turning back to... the rather brave and deadened soldier standing in front of me, I gave him two choices: a military prisoner compliance or a honorary execution. He looked up and chose the latter - he wanted a way out and be no more of a burden to any other human, period. Cocking our weaponry of our choice, we blindfolded the soldier and told him to steady - asking first any final wishes he couldn't fulfill or words to express before he left this cruel World. He kept quiet, stating only that he wished he'd done something else in his spot all those years prior - we readied our guns and made a clean and quick shot at him, now indistinguishable from the dead but dying as the final reconciliation to all the brutalities he benefited off from. We both looked at each other, closed his eyes, sheathed him with a white sheet nearby and rushed back to our troops, the final fight would soon ensue between us and the frenzied Dixies.

-1700-

Now began the final drama against the Dixie troops here in Vicksburg and us, them mounting the weaponry they had fought against and us now in their spot. They, without any direct contact, were making their counts and plotting their targets, us ready to foil it as best as we can. Them in their fortress of concrete and steel, us with our ragged faces and our fired-up spirit to whip them out. The final drama begins on the streets and shall be paraded by us on the streets whence we captured this fortress that they stake their whole defense on. I issue charge into the building and take not one Dixie alive:

"They sealed their fate by staying behind and they refuse to rout when everybody else did! Give 'em Heck, Alpha-10 and MSF! Give an inch, give a mile!"

In that spark, the roaring thunder of a million guns erupted for all to hear and see. Lead, lasers and flak shots were peppering both our captured fronts and their fortress. A fierce deadlock was formed and absolutely the battlefield turned stagnant - one wrong move leading to a freshly mint carcass ready to serve to the wildlife. We had to destroy the primary defenders that kept the secondary defenders nice and cozy enough to snipe out any lucky and brave soul. An hour of deadlock lead to MSF calling in a bomber, we knew it was danger-close and we forced the bomber to go with the precision bombings. A total of five trips with precise payloads in the general vicinity allowed us to snipe and pepper to death the choke-point defenders - now started the flow in a river forced to be stagnant. We inched closely, setting up the defenses so we can cover and fortify ourselves closer and closer to their spot - while making impossible for the secondary defenders to do their only task of defense in their cozy spots and strain them to spots we can truly be equals on.

-1830-

I, from a distance with my sniper rifle, saw a massive breakthrough had finally be achieved and they infiltrated the main gates and walls surrounding the area. All sides swarmed in as the last of our artillery payload shelled the fortress once more, I took this time to look for any trigger-happy Dixie and managed a few heads. Once they were inside the building, I pressed on with the remaining troops and pushed them towards the building - but of course re-purposing them temporarily to help us clamber up to the top. We had scaled the building for a good odd ten minutes 'til we reached the roof and picked off any head that still hunkered down and didn't retreat inside. To the corner of my eye I see a Dixie groaning and pressing hard of a open wound, I advance towards them while cautious with my muzzle direction. I raise the question to them:

"So, Dixie, I got some qs for yah..."

"Android..."

"Say what? Speak louder you Dixie!"

"Android."

"Hmm? There's gunfire going off, better pick your next words carefully!"

"What th' Hell yah care for gettin' answers outta me?!?"

"Ah, I can hear properly now. Tell me, Dixie, what made you not only rebel but forcefully enslave robots?"

"Robots? Well I join'd this Neo-Confederacy here, or Dixie as yah say it, 'cuz I valued our states o'er th' Government's stupid unity! They didn't knew how to put them andr... Bleh! Robots in t'eir place and tell them to work!"

"Sassy ærs cracka' sunnofabitch. You value only this Confederacy because they support your damnable views and the fact the Government was going to be overtaken by us Insurrectionists! You wanted the slice of cake, and now ye shall lose it and not eat it."

"Whateva' yah do, won't hurt as bad as the damage ye did... Heh, I gotta give it to you robots, yah know how to kill... But yer all apes, ruthless killin' machines - we should've went fartha' 'n' brand'd some humans as robots."

"Heh... You Dixie are a funny folk, just counterrevolutionaries in the veil of revolutionary agitation. But Dixie, I won't be hurting you..."

The climbers approached the Dixie and ready their bayonets for usage, I sat back and relaxed with a cigar. I inspected the area below us and planned ahead where to strike as the soldiers got carried away with their red painting. The soldiers below are smoking them Dixie really fast - we might not even get a squad when we're done with this art project. So I ended their painting session quicker than usual and told them to get ready to clear the rest of the compound of slaver scum. Upon the hatch, I counted to three and we all breached the door - covering every single angle and room while steadily moving downwards to rally with the soldiers below. The upper echelons were completely empty except for the burning of equipment we had to extinguish on sight - but the lower we went the more we saw Dixie troops rushing down to replace their dead.

Then the fighting came to a stop, all the Dixie in the compound... were neutralized and dealt with - the rest surrendered or were already in a POW camp by now... Of course the banner carrier was storming upwards and we all rushed to catch up with them to the top. On the rooftop again, the banner carrier went to the flagpole to which I sliced the Dixie flag off clean and they planted the flag firmly into the concrete. Our scarlet colour was waving proud and about and we chanted our war cry. "URAH" ranged throughout the war-torn cityscape, the day was seized and Vicksburg won - losses are expected but never forgotten, even when a soldier has nothing to be identified with.

In the distance the prototype gas seemed to dissipate entirely and appeared safe from my periphery, to which my judgement had already been decided by my soldiers below to start booting the Dixie into the POW camps. Oh we bet our boots we whipped them out, and that we did - a victory that the Central Committee would give toast for and certainly mark as a farce to the Confederate tragedy here. Staring off to the sunset, the warming colours of red and orange streak the sky and on itself - like a celestial honouring of our efforts before granting us the lunar rest we duly deserve in these hectic nights. I gave the pirate salute back to the sun and to my soldiers before we retired back to the encampment we made outside of the city. Transversing down the stairs, I see documents, files, computers and so on and so on being taken away from this fortress - certainly giving us the real victory we won today over the Neo-Confederacy, they'll pay the true price for their sluggishness and breakdown of discipline... Upon the streets I see the rubble strewn about, still smoking despite not one shell being fired upon some hours ago - but I moved on as this sight was all to common in my memory.

I began noticing slight exaggerations in my step, looking down to see my leg was partially lamed by a stray bullet - oh how blessed I am to be of a robot and not a meat-bag, but damn I to not notice oddities like this right away that can affect my efficiency on the field. Continuing down, I return to see the covered Dixie and inspect him one last time - almost peaceful where he died, but there was no angelic shine nor birds chirping about or a flower on his corpse. The last time I ever see a honest cracka' - last time I ever see a useful cracka' at that as well, but I moved on and collect his body up tomorrow. For he'll be the first body I collect over all the other Dixie bodies we'll eventually have to collect when we start digging graves for the dead strewn about here: friend, enemy, the therebetween and the unfortunate causalities. Looking at the city, like I've... done for every battle done really... and shall continue doing, and focusing in on it, I began pondering and reaffirming what I've always accepted war to be. War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over. Here's to us insurrectionists winning the war soon and putting down the gun we had to pick up - we all became dæmons, but only so our future young shall never inherit our sins...

Other parts in the series

@theironfelix - The Rebel Compound

@theironfelix - What remained after

@theironfelix - Runaway Convict

@theironfelix - Scouting for Danger

@theironfelix - A ponderous choice

@theironfelix - A step towards hope

@theironfelix - Escape by pier

@theironfelix - aftermath

@theironfelix - Ides of March anno domini 21XX

Cited images

"WW1 charge with gasmasks"