18:00 Rongzhuo Time
18th August
8th Gate, Xiaodongese-Narmadi Border
The cold of the Huashan mountains caused Private Wang Chengwu to release an involuntary shiver as he stepped out the armoured truck, slinging an assault rifle over his shoulder. He was surrounded by a platoon of around 50 or so soldiers similarly disembarking from large armoured vehicles, each dressed in the same uniform - dark grey tunics with jackboots , bullet-resistant vests and ushankas with the symbol of the Xiaodongese Defence Force pinned on. The trucks had parked outside the 8th border crossing - a large grey gate with the Xiaodongese flag fluttering above it. Surrounding the gate was a line of barbed wire fencing the height of a man trebled that stretched out as long as the eye could see, cutting through dead, snowpecked grass and well worn marching paths. Tucked behind the barbed wires was another tell-tale mark of the animosity of the two nations - watchtowers dotted across the landscape. The Xiaodongese could be distinguished from their dull grey compared to the olive green of the Narmadi's.
As they disembarked from armoured trucks, officers distinguished by trenchcoats shouted for troops to move towards the gate. Wang could already spy the regular patrols of Narmadi troops on another side, recognisable by their swarthy complexion and archaic vehicles. He wiped his brow before approaching the gate.
The commander of the gate, first lieutenant Mao Zhongren, a thickset man with red rimmed eyes and a greasy crewcut, had already informed them of their role - to monitor Narmadi actions. The Xiaodongese Defence Force may be the praetorian guard of National Principlism but the intention - Mao had stated in his droll monotone - was to wait on how the Narmadi's would react. Wang had no reason to question their purpose - to observe if the Narmadi syndicalists were emboldened by the actions of their syndicalist allies in Alemannia to strike at Xiaodong.
Wang, at 18, was one of the growing number to voluntary join the Xiaodongese Defence Force prior to his obligation as with every other Xiaodongese citizen to serve as a conscript. Such a move had been obvious to Wang - his father had fought the Duljunese 20 years prior, and his grandfather the Senrians and later communists when he was just a teenager. It wasn't just following in his families lead but also a duty to the motherland, to serve Xiaodong.
Wang had felt a sense of pride when it was announced by State Chairman Yuan Xiannian that troops were to be deployed to the Tinzan and Narmadi borders. Both represented what the Corrective Revolution had cleansed from Xiaodong - the former, the reactionary and corrupt feudalism of the medieval past, and the latter the revolutionary socialism that threatened to destroy the Xiaodongese nation and impoverish its people in the name of equality.
Wang turned to see his friend, Private Chen Fubao, advancing behind. At 20 Chen was nearing the end of his stint as a conscript, but had volunteered to be deployed at the Narmadi border as soon as the increased deployment was announced. Wang knew Chen had as little love for syndicalism as himself, with his brother having been killed when Chen was still a child in the third Duljunese war by a syndicalist separatist.
"If the Narmadi's don't react soon we'll have our chance" Chen said in a matter of fact tone. Wang nodded - despite the massive deployment, the 8th gate was one of the least militarised across the Narmadi-Xiaodongese border.
"Perhaps" Wang mused before the shout to advance snapped his train of thought.
15:00 Rongzhuo Time
19th August
Xiajiyu Palace, Rongzhuo
Yuan Xiannian sipped his tea as looked over papers on his desk. It was a spacious room, with a mahogany desk next to a large window opposite a portrait of Lu Keqian with a plasma screen TV above it, with two chairs on the right wall sat behind a low rung table. Occupying the chairs was First Minister Xi Yao-tong, who was lounging in is chair in a relaxed posture and Chief of Joint Command Sun Panmin who was speaking in clipped tones.
“As you know, the Narmadi’s have responded to our deployment by amassing 500 soldiers on the western frontier and from our military intelligence although Narmadi forces are comparably poorly equipped we do not expect them to be a walkover in terms of combat”.
Yuan waved his hand distractedly. “I’m aware. But if we are seen to do nothing the people will lose faith and the whole Normalisation process will collapse. Besides, the street shitters are just peasants armed with old Austrosian tech. The Xiaodongese Defence Force has been geared for years to retake Xinzuguo. A further deployment of troops will only strengthen our hand.”
“But what of Alemannia and Austrosia?” Xi said dryly.
“If the syndicalists intervene then I doubt the empire will stand for a syndicalist revolution in east Borea”. Yuan stated.
Sun drew back his breath disapprovingly, “We can’t discount the possibility of escalation if this goes pear shaped. Alemannia’s and Austrosia’s nuclear arsenals-
“If there is escalation of outside powers, we should be protected. Besides it will be Narmada not Xiaodong who will fire the first shot.”. Yuan downed the rest of his tea. “Call in the Security Council, where we can discuss this further.”
06:00 Rongzhuo Time
20th August
8th Gate, Xiaodongese-Narmadi Border
As the sun rose with its weak rays illuminating the frayed grassland, the usual morning birdsong was punctured by the sounds of mortars slamming into the ground, sending dust and bodies flying into the air. The shouts of Xiaodongese soldiers could be heard as machine gun fire tore through bodies in all directions.
“Advance forward!” Wang heard in his radio as he scrambled from behind a ditch that had been crudely dug several days before.
The Xiaodongese troops just a half hour before had with reinforcements launched a surprise attack on the Narmadis, with mortars hitting their watchtowers as troops advanced towards the Narmadi gate. The weatherbeaten path between the two gates - ostensibly a de-militarised zones - was now littered with bodies stained red, some Xiaodongese others Narmadi. The barbed wire fence was in tangles from grenade and mortar explosions that had uprooted the ground around it.
Wang had felt exhilarated as the Narmadi’s had been shelled into the dirt. He rushed out the ditch towards the cover of a bombed out truck, before peering over and firing several shots at a Narmadi; he couldn’t see if he had hit a single one as he ducked for cover again.
1 hour later
Lieutenant Mao observed the Narmadi gate. It was like it’s Xiaodongese counterpart a tall structure only with the Xiaodongese script replaced with its Narmadi counterpart alongside a red cog wheel. The flag of Narmada had been torn down - Mao had been told the soldiers had burnt it in celebration.
Casualty wise, the Xiaodongese had lost 22 of the 150 that had assaulted the garrison - to high in Mao’s eyes. 24 of the 78 Narmadi’s had been killed in the assault, maybe more - some bodies were unaccounted for or more likely some had fled at the first sign of battle.
He had already radioed military HQ in Caofang that Narmadi border troops had opened fire at Xiaodongese soldiers - a provocation that would quickly be spread by Xiaodongese newspapers of proof of Narmadi aggression. He hoped that those who fled would be to terrified to tell the truth to Narmadi propaganda outlets.
“Assualts on the 4th and 7th gates have been reported Lieutenant, and more reinforcements are making their way to Caofang. We should begin another assault soon.”
“Good” said Mao. “Tell the men they have done well.” He shoved a cigarette between his yellow teeth. “Tell them they will not be done however until the liberation of Narmada is complete”.
