Lakshmibai Raj - I'm Guided By The Beauty Of Our Weapons

[x-gambit.livejournal.com]

The X-Men meet at a secret location with Bastion to discuss the impossible strategy of stopping an invading army.



"Officially, none of us exist right now. What I'm doing, by the letter of the law, is borderline treasonous. However, I'd imagine that you folks are risking even more, and I thank you for it." The planning tent was large, more of a permanent structure than a tent. They had arrived, crammed in an overfull Blackbird, in the middle of the night and under the full protection of the best stealth that Forge and Hank had been able to create. Unlike the earthquake, which had struck in the north-eastern border of Pakistan, they were in the south, an hour outside of a UN Forces base. The small American camp was used by the US Special Forces for clandestine drops, and a small team of X-Men had used it months before to rescue a Skih politician. Now, they were using it to rescue a whole country.

Bastion was retired, and USAF to boot, but somehow he still had pull in the US Special Forces, who were willing to look the other way and keep him well in the loop, beyond his official role as an advisor for the UN. He was the one that Lilandra had gotten her desperate message out to, and who passed it along to the Professor with the weighty decision that had to be made. Now, he was their link to the chance of stopping it.

"Recent satellite imagery has IAF movement in the Jaisalmer region, near the south-eastern border. We have at least three brigades of heavy armor, self-propelled and towed artillary, and a logistical train running the length of the Thar Desert. A large naval squadron built around both of India's active carriers shipped out of Mumbai yesterday. In less than twenty-four hours, they will be in position to overrun the border. The UN forces can not respond until India makes an overtly aggressive act, at which point it will be too late." He pointed to a map. "Considering the force mix, it looks like the plan is to punch through and eliminate resistance between the border and Karachi. They can trap the small UN fleet at the harbour, and more important, hold the major transport centre into southern Pakistan. Cut off from a major harbour, any reinforcements are going to have to come by air, into Islamabad. With a secure hold on the south, India will also hold a major portion of Pakistan's oil and natural gas reserves."

Bastion leaned forward on the table. "In my professional opinion, if India moves when we expect them to, there is virtually no chance that the UN or existing Pakistani forces will be able to slow the IAF down. I'd give them, say, ten days before the entire country is overrun."

Ororo stood close to the table, a grim expression on her face as the full situation was unfolded before them. Up until now the intelligence shared had been fractured and secretive and she had been dubious of their successful involvement; having the entire picture didn't seem to improve their odds much, it seemed. "There are quite a few avenues to cover," she said, pursing her lips. "Especially without hope of reinforcements." She was still doubtful that Bastion's plan - whatever it was - could be pulled off.

"Which is how Neramani intends. The earthquake, the bombing in New Delhi; it's not the best cover, but he'll have enough of a raison d'etre to cover his attack, especially if he is simply using overwhelming force to shut down a counter attack. It stops being an invasion at that point, which will end any real effective opposition by the Security Council. Unless President Obama is willing to threaten a nuclear response, which neither Russia or China would endorse, he can hold the country long enough for opposition to tire itself out." Bastion said grimly. "However, there's one possible route. The second Indian forces cross the border, there will be an effort to reinforce UN positions here. The US can move their 6th fleet and even push the Eastern Med forces through the canal and into the region. German, French and US armor can tranship in less than seventy-two hours. In short, if we can buy ourselves a day, even two following India's open intention to take the state, we can get enough assets in Pakistan to make them blink."

"Then one way or another, that is what we must do", Kurt said quietly. "We are few, but with our collective powers... I think perhaps we can put a few spanners in their works."

Logan just grunted in amusement at Kurt's words. "To put it mildly." he offered.

Paige, who had been quietly nodding so far, tilted her head slightly to one side and asked, "How many teams are we thinking? There are a lot of areas to cover."

Certainly as many as they could come up with, Lorna thought. But even if they were just a handful, what they lacked in numbers they could more than make up for in strength.

"Terrain is going to be as important as numbers, I figure." Sam looked over the map. "We'll need several places to act like Thermopylae for us. Otherwise no matter how strong we are they'll just box us in and move around us."
Lex nodded thoughtfully, it would take more than just a series of last stands to hold back an entire country's armed forces. "Yeah, but we need to keep mobile as well. It won't do to have everyone laying down their lives at the start so there's nothing left when the cavalry arrives. I'd say a series of tactical withdrawals, possibly with booby traps would do the trick."

"So put our skirmishers." Logan suggested, leaning back in his chair with his Stetson pulled down low over his eyes. "Mobile, agile, and hostile folks out wrecking people's days, keep the big hitters and the psions back as a rapid-response force." he said. "Think asymmetrical warfare." he added a moment later, mostly for Lex's benefit.

"Scope is the biggest problem in this scenario. However, there is one advantage. You don't need to meet the forces head to head. Any way to slow them down, buy us time once they cross the borders works. I know a lot of the likely command staff on the other side. All professional, mostly British trained. They have numbers, they have shock, and they have speed. We don't have distance to trade, and they know it. So if we can roll them back in a couple of places, and chop off their logistical train behind them, they'll try and regroup and re-establish their links instead of breaking up and rushing us as independent units. It's the Navy that I'm at a loss. It's a lot of power, and those are big ships."

"We can't sink them. Those ships carry hundreds of people inside even the smaller ones." Garrison said, stubbornly trying to figure out a way that didn't involve a massive deathtoll. "How do you stop a ship without sinking it?"

"Then target the engines, the propellers," Lorna said, with a shrug of one shoulder. "Find a way to disable them and keep the ship afloat. If we could create an obstacle large enough that they'd have difficulties moving past it, it would slow them down. An iceberg, perhaps."
"I think I can manage that." Bobby smiled back at the group. "I've been away for a while, but just in case any of you were wondering freezing things is still kind of my specialty." His grin grew even larger with the words. He had missed these missions. Watching books collect dust just wasn't the same.

"You mean this isn't an example of 'use it or lose it'?" Warren said with a smirk in Bobby's direction. "But if you combine that with messing with the weather, those ships aren't going to be going anywhere." He flashed a smile at Ororo and Crystal. "And I don't think we'd have a problem doing that."

The silver-haired woman couldn't quite muster a smile to return to the young men, but she inclined her head in acknowledgment and then looked to Bastian. "Stopping them may be impossible, but we can certainly slow them. Perhaps not a victory, but we can buy time"

“Folks, I’m no longer a general and you’re not soldiers. Asking you to go out and win a war would not only be unfair, but it would be as bad as anything that the Indians are doing. Slow them down the best you can and get your asses out of there.” Bastion said, looking around from face to face, as if he was trying to burn them into his memory. “I know what you’re all risking, and believe me, if the potential damage wasn’t so great, there’s no way I’d ask for even this much. But believe me, the world is going to owe you thanks for this. Good luck.”