April 2nd, 2007 23:35hrs
Captain Niall van der Knaap stared out from the parapet of their walled compound into the dark Zambian night. Past the regulated clearance boundary that was lit by motion and thermal tracking sensors and protected by mines and claymores was the jungle. This part of the compound and the many around it that linked together to form the ZDMZ (Zambian Demilitarized Zone) were uncontested the domain of the South African military. Beyond it, into the thick foliage of the jungle both regular and irregular soldiers from the UANC (United African National Congress) and the PANA (People's African National Alliance) moved at will. The rustle of leaves, the snap of a twig and the shades of black moving in the jungle could mean that either an attack was imminent or - or simply that an animal was doing it's nightly rounds.
Captain Knaap heard the faint whirring of one of the IRHR (Infrared Heat Resonance) trackers turning it's sensor towards a position in the jungle in front of him. Also whirring on it's tracks at a just point below the 10 meter wall he stood on the a twin 50 caliber autocannon rolled into place. The technology, recently sold to the SA army by the Israelis had been moderately successful. A sensor would detect movement whether by a motion or heat detection and then would auto deploy a dual 50 caliber cannon loaded with flechette to the location. It was quick and could deal with multiple targets at once. The devices saved manpower and lives before the enemy learned to stay clear of the devices. The trackers and the computers behind them were also good at determining between human and animal. However, sadly there had been a number of non-combatants killed who made the mistake of foraging for wood or food in the 'kill zones'. With protection and automation from the enemy making past human eyes there came a price - an often bitter and sad one to pay.
Not tonight though, the sensor went silent and the cannon returned to it's waterproof housing (a costly necessity in the rain forest) and a small fox ran across the zone.
Captain Knaap took a breath and then a drag on his cigarette and started to write his wife a letter on his PDA (standard issue for those of Captain and above). It still seemed as limited as paper and pen though as the device only allow the reception and sending of messages to civilians at preset times throughout the day and then only once the message had cleared the censors.
"Dear Elsie, I was sorry to hear about the death of your cousin Hans in the latest riots in Johannesburg. I haven't seen the news in a fortnight but I can only guess that the police were unable to prevent the riots from spilling out of Soweto. I suppose that the knowledge that something might finally be done about the shantytown comes a bit late for you. I am sorry that I
will be unable to attend his funeral but things have hotted up here in my sector.
Please tell Jon that I will be happy to help him with his history report as much as I can from here. I think that it would greatly help him if he get to know the lands and territory of South Africa as much as he can so I hope he appreciates this map I've attached.
Also can I point out that a late fall trip to the vineyards north of Cape is possible but..."
Multiple sensors started their trawl towards the jungle and the compound was suddenly a hive of activity. A voice cried out from the control booth, "We've got confirms!" and men rushed to their preset positions. Captain Knaap heard the whirr of the autocannon and then a series of loud and grinding clicks - it was stuck in its housing again! He grabbed his night field goggles and as he lifted them up and let the autofocus take control the green suddenly went white hot - the explosion next to him was almost simultaneous. He felt himself being thrown to the ground from the wall platform with incredible force. Captain Knaap tried lifting himself up off
the ground but sank again. He could hear nothing so he put his hands to his ears. His ears were bleeding and he realized that all he could hear was a deep drone and a ringing. He could see from the flashes in the night sky that the autocannon had freed itself, survived the hit from the rpg and was engaging the enemy. Another RPG hit somewhere down the line. He gathered all his strength, stood up, pulled his Vektor 21 from his back and fired over the parapet.
Captain Niall van der Knaap stared out from the parapet of their walled compound into the dark Zambian night. Past the regulated clearance boundary that was lit by motion and thermal tracking sensors and protected by mines and claymores was the jungle. This part of the compound and the many around it that linked together to form the ZDMZ (Zambian Demilitarized Zone) were uncontested the domain of the South African military. Beyond it, into the thick foliage of the jungle both regular and irregular soldiers from the UANC (United African National Congress) and the PANA (People's African National Alliance) moved at will. The rustle of leaves, the snap of a twig and the shades of black moving in the jungle could mean that either an attack was imminent or - or simply that an animal was doing it's nightly rounds.
Captain Knaap heard the faint whirring of one of the IRHR (Infrared Heat Resonance) trackers turning it's sensor towards a position in the jungle in front of him. Also whirring on it's tracks at a just point below the 10 meter wall he stood on the a twin 50 caliber autocannon rolled into place. The technology, recently sold to the SA army by the Israelis had been moderately successful. A sensor would detect movement whether by a motion or heat detection and then would auto deploy a dual 50 caliber cannon loaded with flechette to the location. It was quick and could deal with multiple targets at once. The devices saved manpower and lives before the enemy learned to stay clear of the devices. The trackers and the computers behind them were also good at determining between human and animal. However, sadly there had been a number of non-combatants killed who made the mistake of foraging for wood or food in the 'kill zones'. With protection and automation from the enemy making past human eyes there came a price - an often bitter and sad one to pay.
Not tonight though, the sensor went silent and the cannon returned to it's waterproof housing (a costly necessity in the rain forest) and a small fox ran across the zone.
Captain Knaap took a breath and then a drag on his cigarette and started to write his wife a letter on his PDA (standard issue for those of Captain and above). It still seemed as limited as paper and pen though as the device only allow the reception and sending of messages to civilians at preset times throughout the day and then only once the message had cleared the censors.
"Dear Elsie, I was sorry to hear about the death of your cousin Hans in the latest riots in Johannesburg. I haven't seen the news in a fortnight but I can only guess that the police were unable to prevent the riots from spilling out of Soweto. I suppose that the knowledge that something might finally be done about the shantytown comes a bit late for you. I am sorry that I
will be unable to attend his funeral but things have hotted up here in my sector.
Please tell Jon that I will be happy to help him with his history report as much as I can from here. I think that it would greatly help him if he get to know the lands and territory of South Africa as much as he can so I hope he appreciates this map I've attached.
Also can I point out that a late fall trip to the vineyards north of Cape is possible but..."
Multiple sensors started their trawl towards the jungle and the compound was suddenly a hive of activity. A voice cried out from the control booth, "We've got confirms!" and men rushed to their preset positions. Captain Knaap heard the whirr of the autocannon and then a series of loud and grinding clicks - it was stuck in its housing again! He grabbed his night field goggles and as he lifted them up and let the autofocus take control the green suddenly went white hot - the explosion next to him was almost simultaneous. He felt himself being thrown to the ground from the wall platform with incredible force. Captain Knaap tried lifting himself up off
the ground but sank again. He could hear nothing so he put his hands to his ears. His ears were bleeding and he realized that all he could hear was a deep drone and a ringing. He could see from the flashes in the night sky that the autocannon had freed itself, survived the hit from the rpg and was engaging the enemy. Another RPG hit somewhere down the line. He gathered all his strength, stood up, pulled his Vektor 21 from his back and fired over the parapet.
