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Hi, I'm horror and science fiction author Steve Kozeniewski (pronounced: "causin' ooze key.") Welcome to my blog! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Amazon. You can e-mail me here, join my mailing list here, or request an e-autograph here. Free on this site you can listen to me recite one of my own short works, "The Thing Under the Bed."

Saturday, June 27, 2009

The Last War: Chapter 25, Part 1

CAL
Hello and welcome to "The Battle of Tijuana". This is Cal Jameson, your color-commentator for today's battle, broadcasting live for Global Radio, Television, and Holonet. With me is Paco Ramirez, our play-by-play man today. It looks like a great day for a battle down here, Paco. Can we get a shot of that? Thank you.

PACO
Yes, Cal, it's very overcast and rainy. This will be very helpful to the Americans, who are working with scanners.

CAL
That's right, Paco. Let's take a look at our interviews earlier today with the opposing commanders.

PRE-RECORDED.

PACO

I'm talking right now with General Chavo Oso of the Mexican Army. How are you doing today, general?

OSO
(halting English)
Fine, very fine.

PACO
How do you think the battle will go today?

OSO
I'm hoping to overcome the Americans with sheer numbers. We have quite a lot more troops than them, and that is no intimidating tactic, in case the Americans may be watching this.

PACO
Have you ever met with this particular American commander on the battlefield before?

OSO
I'm not sure. Who is he?

PACO
Colonel Paul King.

OSO
Ah, yes, our troops have clashed before. Skirmishes. Nothing on a grand scale.

PACO
I see. What do you think about your troop's morale?

OSO
Well, the rain is the killer. No one wants to fight in the mud. Plus it can only hurt our view of the battlefield.

PACO
You aren't working with scanners?

OSO: Only a few. Not nearly as many as I'm sure the Americans have. I and a few of my colonels and majors have scanners.

PACO
Well, wishing you best of luck in today's battle.

OSO
Thank you.

LIVE.

CAL
And here's my interview earlier with the American commander, Paul King.

PRE-RECORDED.

CAL
Colonel King, what do you think the outcome of today's battle will be?

KING
Is this being broadcast?

CAL
Live around the world on GRTH and over 3 dozen affiliates.

KING
GRTH? Wow. Well, I have to say that I feel confident, and my men feel confident. We really want to get out there and wail on the Mexicans.

CAL
What do you think about the numbers?

KING
The numbers? Well, I know the Mexicans have more troops than us. And the point is that I know that. I'm not really worried about the daunting odds because we have better intelligence on them then they have on us. Every sergeant in my force has a scanner, and we'll be able to know where the Mexicans are every minute.

CAL
Well, lots of luck.

KING
Thanks, thanks, you too.

LIVE.

PACO
There you have it, confidence on both sides. It's going to be a real flip of the coin today. For those of you just joining us, we're live at Tijuana with the latest battle in The Last War.

CAL
Now, are you aware of the spread today, Paco?

PACO
Ah, yes, I believe the Mexicans are favored by two brigades.

CAL
Bad news for those gambling fans out there, because I've seen King's earlier battles and he has a real tendency to beat superior numbers.

PACO: Hush up, now, Cal, I think I can hear the first gunshots. Yes, there you go, the Americans are attacking. It looks like a good start for the Battle of Tijuana. Two squads are going out, AS-guns firing and...ooh, looks like a real zinger. The Mexicans took down both squads with some big guns.

CAL
It may not be good for the Mexicans to open up with artillery so early on. However, if Oso is trying for a quick battle, either way, that could be the way.

PACO
They seem to be settling down into the trenches, but there is small arms fire from both sides. It looks like the Mexicans are starting to get the upper hand. But not for long because here come the American tanks!

CAL
I had no idea the Americans had such a large armored division here at Tijuana. I see Schwarzkopfs, Bradleys, MacArthurs...

PACO
The Americans are advancing. They seem to be holding ground. What's the death rate now, Cal?

CAL
Ah...217 American, 384 Mexican. We're really off to a hell of a start.

PACO
Oh, and the Mexicans are sending out their tanks to meet the Americans.

CAL
The death toll is mounting!

PACO
Looks like the infantry is moving in on the position. A few grenade-in-the-cupola and shooting-the-commander tricks, that sort of thing. The infantry is clashing with each other now, leaving the tanks free to keep firing.

CAL
Looks like whichever side wins today is going to have a pyrrhic victory on their hands. Let's take a look at the stats today. And we see Colonel Paul King has had eleven victories and six losses in his relatively short career. Chavo Oso, on the other hand has had 23 victories and 16 losses. Looks like Oso is definitely the commander with more experience here.

PACO
Two or...no three battalions of Mexicans are entering the battle. This looks to be a looooong one!

CAL
I don't think I can remember seeing a battle on such an epic scale in rather a while. Can you, Paco?

PACO
No, I surely can't. Several feints from the Americans. It's a real pressure cooker out there.

CAL
They seem to be making the most of their major advantage: the scanners. They really seem to know where all the Mexicans are and when they'll get there.

PACO
Oso is opening up his batteries. Yup, a lot of cannons and artillery weapons are firing now.

CAL
A few American regiments are taking tactical retreats. I don't think King should be backing off. He should really be moving in to take out those batteries.

PACO
Yes, the Americans have made a small break through the Mexican lines.

CAL
I honestly have no idea what King is trying to do. His tactics just don't seem to be making any sense.

PACO
Oso is sending troops after the Americans. Oh, yes, the Americans are down. The break in the lines has been sealed.

CAL
Now, if you look at it, King could easily have avoided that by cracking that hole wide open. If he'd just sent a whole lot of troops to that spot, they'd be getting through. Let's take a look at the instant replay. And you can see these troops, right here, just sitting there looking for something to do. Those are the troops that should have been sent to widen the hole.
PACO
Ooh, and in what could be a crucial error for the Mexicans, Oso is moving his troops away from the battle. The Americans are mopping up!

CAL
And now let's break for a word from our sponsor.

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