A column of three trucks emblazoned with the symbol of a red crescent moon escorted by a pair of infantry vehicles and a tank speed through a desolate road ; abandoned civilian vehicles lining it on either side under an early winter snow.
The armoured vehicle leading this convoy was Rasnik 112 otherwise known as Voja had been reassigned from Company Rake of the Armoured Guards Brigade, a week after retaking Mojkodej along with securing Hidelburg's flank and the road connecting them both had been concluded.
"Only a few more kilometres left till we can get some hot soup and pierogi, lads." chirped Captain Tarvej keeping the topographical map aside.
"Women too right, Captain ?" said the gunner who was quickly responded to by their driver, Josef , who said "Heh. In your dreams Konja."
Second Lieutenant Konja Viemicca creeping his hand behind Lieutenant Josef Broswicka's bald head who was keeping an eye on the road and the other on a small screen attached to a mount beside his seat displaying Voja's component status.
With a swift slap on the driver's clean shaven head, "Atleast women won't be blinded when they look at my head." he quipped with a smug expression on his face.
"Why do I always have to be the mature one ?" thought Captain Tarvej burying his face embarrassed at the sight of two grown men playfully mocking and punching the other.
Sighing, Tarvej then refocuses his attention back on their surroundings ; looking through and rotating periscope while also inspecting objects of interest like a cluster of trees or empty houses situated ahead along the road side.
"Open ground. Non-existent cover. Shit, it's a recipe for disaster." comments Tarvej worryingly taking note of the flat terrain around them.
Getting on the tanks communications module he issues a cautionary warning through the convoy frequency.
"Enemy presence probable. All vehicles maintain vigilance. Only 2 kilometres till destination."
"Copy." responded the convoy.
On the way, they passed through a semi-urban neighborhood which bore the scars of a recent battle — shell casings, corpses, the lingering taint of burnt flesh mixed with the scent of gunpowder hung in the cold frosty air.
It was enough to keep the turret gunners of the infantry carrying vehicles on edge as Voja led them through the battle scarred streets littered with smoldering husks of civilian vehicles.
Upon reaching the town's ouskirts, they received a transmission from the medical aid station which was set up by the Red Crescent International Volunteers
"Convoy Mojkodej, thank goodness you've arrived. Critically injured are awaiting evacuation near the machine gun nests in front of the station."
"Affirmative, Station Kubaan. Make final patches and we'll carry the lads home." Tarvej responded, finger on the modules broadcast switch and a smile barely visible through his short facial hair.
Rumbling through the station's heavily defended gates, all of them including Voja's crew could see roughly half a platoon of wounded and injured comrades who had either been amputated or become disabled.
"Fights over for them...heh...lucky." comments Konja slightly envious that they would be discharged and either sent to work in the industries or serve as trainers for new recruits.
Tarvej heard him and slapped the gunners head," Don't be foolish. Look at them — amputated, injured and traumatised. There's nothing to be envious about that!"
He was right. There was nothing to be jealous of the men who were being loaded onto the medical evacuation trucks. One look at their faces told a thousand hours of hellish frontline combat — bolts of plasma screaming over their heads, scent of gun fumes that never goes away, and near constant nocturnal enemy raids which always boiled down to close quarter fighting.
"Sorry, Captain." apologised Konja
"It's fine... let's focus on bringing them back safely."
"Understood."
One of the trucks blew its horns signalling completion of the task and went back into formation with the convoy ; infantry vehicles at the rear and Voja to the front.
Their headlamps piercing through pitch black darkness illuminating the road ahead of them.
Soon they drove past the town and were now well on their way back to a proper Medical Camp on Mojkodej's outskirts situated right behind the new and hastily constructed Vymir Defensive Line or the VyDL
Occasionally they would encounter herds of wild grey deer that darted from their woodland homes across the road almost catching the convoy off their guard at times.
"So, uh, Captain. How long till we reach the DL ?" Konja inquired, Tarvej's light scolding still fresh in his mind.
Tarvej then asked their driver, "What's our speed, Josef ?"
"67kph on the dial. Don't worry about holding your piss for too long, little Konya." the driver chirped and chuckled joined alongside by Captain Koyak.
"Haha. Very funny. I'm gonna outlive you both. Especially, Broswicka over here."
This warm atmosphere would soon be drowned out.
The convoy had reached a large open field that the road passed through and immediately all of their senses were on high alert.
Speeding through, a plasma bolt strikes Voja's glacis and another ricochets off her turrets side. These attacks announce the beginning of a surprise Tengu ambush — a hail of blue plasma bolts begin raining down on the convoy as the infantry squads deploy from their vehicles to form a defense around the casualty transport trucks while Voja guarded their front.
Voja let loose her 12.7 millimetre calibre hull mounted machine gun at the general direction of fire which was to her front.
"Where are they!" shouts a soldier while another responds, "I don't know. Just shoot where Voja shoots."
Josef knew they were losing precious time and decided to move his tank forward much to the approval of Captain Tarvej.
Slowly pressing onwards the tank followed close behind by infantry would be met with ever increasing firepower coming from a patch of trees down the road.
Turning her turret and loading an incendiary shell, Konya with a press of the trigger fired straight at it causing the area to erupt into a wall of flames melting the surrounding snow fields.
Anguished screams echoed through the night air while the human soldiers looked on with impassive eyes.
"Take aim!" the infantry NCO ordered his men who upon finishing loading fresh magazines of armour piercing bullets complied by setting their sights on Tengu heads.
"Fire!" and a cascade of automatic rifle fire erupted following that word of command.
Just when a wave of relaxation could wash over them, another barrage of enemy fire struck them from the rear and damaging Voja's engine compartment.
"Engine lost, Captain."
"What about turret power unit, Lieutenant Broswicka?"
"Running on fumes, Captain Tarvej"
"Good, Konja continue fir-- you okay lad ?" the Captain was about to issue his order when he noticed the state of his Second Lieutenant who was frozen in shock.
"Oy oy! Konja!" shaking him in an effort to bring the gunner back to his senses, " Get yourself together, my friend. Our comrades need you!"
The enemy now had the upper hand in fire power due Voja remaining motionless ; engine compartment alight with blue fire that gave little illumination.
Meanwhile, the infantry were being cut down to ribbons and charred corpses as they held a desperate defense around what remained of the convoy — an APC, a truck and a disabled tank.
A shot lands a hit on Voja's side skirt, shearing it apart and somehow this was enough to bring Konja out of shock.
Tarvej noticing, "Good. Now kindly lay down support fire for the poor lads to our rear."
And he after collecting his mind, went straight to said task.
With a slow grinding noise, the turret turned round and through the gun sights, Konja saw the utter choas that was being played out.
Counting each round after every discharge, the gunner shot shell after shell till their ammunition ran out but by then the enemy had retreated back to their cans in the sky.
Once their perimeter had beeh cleared, Josef stepped out to inspect the damage on his beloved machine.
Equipped with a pocket torchlight, he went around and noticed that Voja's body was damaged beyond repair — destroyed engine, severely damaged turret ring, and more.
"You did good, old girl. You've earned your rest." Josef then placed his palm on her frontal armour in a final gesture of gratitude and farewell.
Standing inside the remaining casualty truck which drove behind the last APC, their convoy resumed their journey which took them an additional two hours till they eventually reached Mojkodej's outskirts where all of them got treatment for their wounds.
And Konja couldn't help but feel smug when a group of fine maidens passed by his cot bed.
"Oy! Konja, don't do anything stupid!" said Tarvej wearing a bandage over his left eye.
But the gunner didn't hear his Captain who must've felt rather furious being ignored.
"Hey, Josef. Behold. A real woman!" sitting beside the driver Konja pointed at the red haired female doctor approaching them.
"How are we feeling on this fine day, boys ?" asked the doctor.
"Muscle sore is gone down a bit." Josef answered
"Every time I turn my neck, it feels like a thousand pikes are being driven into my skull." answered Konja.
"Mr. Konja Viemicca, please meet with Doctor Katya at Orthopedic's Tent when you're ready. And Mr Josef ?"
"Will co." complied Konja as he immediately set off to do so.
"Yes ?"
"I recommend taking a few days leave. Drink this tonic after every meal."
"Yes ma'am."