A/N: It's time for our heroes to clean up the city. Will they succeed?

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8 June 2034, Rt Hardiwinangun Road-Pahlawan Road sector, 07.40 Western Indonesia Time

Cpl. William, 190th "Pelangi Nusantara" Volunteer Battalion, National Volunteer Force.

After a quick breakfast, our first order is to head for Objective Ki Hajar Dewantara. The place turned out to be what used to be No. 1 Public Senior High School (SMAN 1). A befitting name for such objective that we are entrusted to occupy.

I gazed at the surroundings as we took up position along the school ground. A platoon of the 203rd Battalion's B Company had repurposed it as multi purpose fortified position that they had given to us. Classrooms were used to house snipers, machine gun nest, and even suicide drone launchers. The administration office and the infirmary was used like what it used to be as a school.

Everything had changed. Gunfire and explosion ahead indicated the advance of the regular Army. The outpost commander stressed it's importance for both morale and also in tactical sense to Lieutenant Rokhim when we arrived.

"Right now" the lieutenant in charge began, "We have clear intelligence that as soon as we leave this area, terrorists behind our lines will arrange an assault to this area as well as several strongpoints deep into the green area where civilians are being sheltered. HANRA and Special Forces are working overtime behind enemy lines to sever their supply lines in addition to aerial effort from all available forces including the Multinational Intervention Force."

The said force consists of Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, UK, US, and Indian military forces, mostly from the air and also cyber who openly intervene in our side.

"Their defenses in central area and across the river is not unbreakable, and we got enough people who are worth only to take bullets, redeemed by martyrdom or severe injury. In fact, two days ago, fresh forces arrived; one company of violent prisoners as well as other dregs who are fit to fire a rifle; blacklisted athletes, sons of corrupt officials, etc."

"Let's hope for the best, and those expendables worth redemption." replied Rokhim.

Then the regular officer arranged his troops to continue with the rest of the 203rd Battalion and their Kobra IFVs.

Sporadic "hell mortar" fire just like what our Palestinian buddy had seen in Syria was the first greeting from the other side, Inaccurate, but it can still kill if we're not careful. Especially with the fact that we are being reinforced by an anti-drone early warning and laser system from the battalion HQ unit, a high value target for the rebels.

"Drone swarm incoming, take cover!"

The hum from the enemy lines was heard in the distance as they closed in. Even with the cloudy sky, it's clear that multiple objects were coming towards us in high speed, with crude blended wing figure that can either drop grenades to our position or detonating themselves over our heads. From captured rebels, we have learned that the NII is calling it Ababeel. Meanwhile the one that we encountered on June 6th was a larger derivative of it, called the Shaheed (Martyr), with similar multipurpose capability.

"Take that!"

A friendly swarm went directly overhead, destroying some using self-detonation and the others deployed their drone nets. Meanwhile the larger, quadcopter ones acted as jammers to disrupt enemy swarm. Anti-drone laser made short work of the remaining Ababeels. Designed and initially manufactured in the USA, some Americans had been deployed here to Indonesia as specialists as part of tech transfer "Garuda Beam" project.

Then come a report that a new group of Jihadists were recapturing houses left and right around the school area and the nearby partially state-owned BRI bank branch - People's Bank of Indonesia in English - , penetrating the security screen of those so called expendables. We have to capture the bank before it can cause trouble. That's when we decided to leave the school, leaving one squad as a reserve.

Covered by one War-V3 - an indigenous stealth UGV design armed with a minigun as opposed to the Estonian-designed Type-X - the advance was nonetheless slow and methodical thanks to the rebels' persistence.

Those robots were also keeping them down as the first squad lead the charge while my squad was given duty to cover the outer perimeter; particularly dangerous as the fence offers no protection at all. Even the security guardpost was immediately considered an RPG bait. There are also an Islamic high school (madrassas) across the bank building occupied by the enemy. Taking them out is priority.

I was given the honor to kick down the door when they were busy engaging the ground bots. Three rebels fell to our guns and bayonets. Hand-to-hand combat and tear gas complemented our effort. No one surrenders, every rebels inside want a honorable death, which we gladly reciprocated.

"Another NII charge! They are counterattacking!" warned Janice as three technicals rolled down the main road with their machine guns blazing. Luckily we got one of the 203rd Bn's wheeled IFV on stand by. With it's infantry squad, it's 30mm wrecked the charging pickup trucks. Even their armored ones at best could only resist Russian 14.5mm heavy machine gun round.

"Hahahaha, burn, burn, you camels!" laughed Rudi as he fired his SS2 at a couple of terrorists engulfed in flames from their vehicles bursting to flames from fuels and explosives they carried. But again the rebels were persistent to push us out, our position was too close to their HQ for comfort. This time with mortar fire to support the charge.

"Ramlan, call the Kamikaze drone!"

The Kobra pulled back, it's active protection system engaged two separate RPG rounds aimed at it, to the jubilation of the rebels, which along with mortars had committed their improvised armored trucks; the same type of vehicle that we knocked out at our first time on the battlefield.

Without any command Abe had his RPG ready. His target was the lead vehicle sporting a Mk 19 grenade launcher. He squeezed the trigger and in seconds the armored truck was gone with a blaze.

"Shit, take cover!" shouted Cpl. Fujita as the remaining technicals and armored trucks opened fire, two of the former were even equipped with anti-aircraft guns; Russian model ZU-23-2.

It took almost forever, as Ramlan repeatedly asking the whereabout of those killer drones. Somehow I decided to pop my head out, rifle ready, and that's where our savior finally arrived. Those little thing dived on, reducing their cavalry into scrap, allowing me to finish the exposed enemy infantry with the others with multiple explosions registered from suicide vest equipped jihadi fighters.

To our surprise, Ramlan's radio crackled with a much welcomed message from higher chain of command.

"Attention all soldiers in Task Force Tirtayasa, this is Command. While you should keep engaging the enemy, I can confirm the City of Serang is now Red and White once more as 09.45 Western Indonesia Time, the Deputy Caliph of the NII for Java Island, Djunaedi Slamat alias Imron, has been captured fleeing the city, and the overall commander of the NII forces for Banten Province, Hendriansyah alias Abu Musa, has been confirmed killed in a firefight with the 3rd Marine Infantry Battalion. Only one city left (Rangkasbitung) and this province will be once again ours, Keep it up! Merdeka!"

Time to finish this off and head straight to the Regent's office.

Then, we could hear a creak of treads. Expecting our robotic companion, it turned out to be one Harimau medium tank with several infantry on it's back, blasting what was left of the rebel presence in the area. It's presence was also further signal for us to finally came out and advance!

............................................................................................

Cpl. Widya Pratama

Before the final assault began, a surrender ultimatum boomed from multiple directions, first in Indonesian, later in English and then Arabic.

"ATTENTION, ALL FIGHTERS AND LEADERS OF THE ISLAMIC STATE OF INDONESIA IN RANGKASBITUNG, YOU ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED! THIS IS A SERIOUS ULTIMATUM, LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS AND COME OUT FROM THE BUILDING WITH YOUR HANDS UP, YOU HAVE ONE HOUR TO RESPOND. ANY HOSTILE ACTION, INCLUDING VERBAL BEFOREHAND, WILL BE CONSIDERED YOUR RESPONSE!"

58 minutes later, "Get ready, people, they definitely aren't surrendering," called Stephen, making sure that his SS2-V5 was loaded.

"One minute, one minute!" said Corporal Fujita on his right side, changing the magazine for his M4.

I could hear the hum of diesel engines on our right side; there were two D9 armored bulldozer revving its engines, it's crew eager to lead the way clearing potential explosives planted in the area.

I looked at the trigger-happy Rudi, and whispered a few encouragements to him. "Get ready for many kills."

"Exactly, Corporal. For Agnes!"

"For Agnes, buddy."

....5, 4, 3, 2, 1, times up!

A brief moment of dead silence, and later shouts of takbir from the building, signaling their defiance, and two tanks opened fire on the building. These particular tanks were not medium weight Harimau; but rather the heavier 120mm armed Hyundai Rotem K2A2 main battle tanks from Jayakarta Division's 1st Cavalry (Armored) Brigade, HQ Karawang.

Our higher up's usage of undesirables and expendables had taken their toll, as their fire was severely curtailed in terms of intensity when it's finally time for the Rainbows to enter the regent's office. We could recognize such people - or what was left of it - by their uniforms that lack names, only rank insignias and patches of the Indonesian Army. In addition, their weaponry were mostly obsolete SS1, earlier mark of the SS2, as well as AR-15 and AK-type rifles; and they was the first to advance while we will follow and support them.

I raised my BR18 upward, facing our enemies on the second floor of the regent's office, clad with black contrasting the white paint of the building. They were somewhat better equipped than typical NII fighters with the fact that they were mostly using captured SS2 and even two SS4s. Some were also sporting Pindad PM3 and HK MP5 submachine guns.

"Yeah, we're killing them, corporal!"

"Focus, Rudi!" I barked. Then a sensation of wetness followed by a searing pain.

Shit, I am hit!

However I still managed to knock one rebel with SS4 that might be responsible for that.

We cannot retreat now, and the engagement was concluded by a fireteam worth of friendly that was in the 2nd floor killed the rest of the terrorists, followed by a general order "Cease fire!"

Later, an official sounded message arrived in our radios "We receive information that the NII leader in this city, Rokhim Sulaiman has been captured by the 10th Special Rehabilitation Company supported by the A company, Pelangi Nusantara Volunteer Battalion together with two. As 13.15 hours, Rangkasbitung is once again under Indonesian control...."

".....Last but not least, you can celebrate, but do not fire your guns into the air when celebrating. What comes up, must come down! Further orders will be transmitted by your superiors depend on the units. Trowulan out!" The transmission ended.

"Merdeka! (Independence) shouted a soldier raising his SS4 rifle. Others shouted the same word.

"You're lucky!" shouted our medic, as I found myself outside the government building. At least, I am still alive. "Look at the ceramic plate." Handy replied. "It works." They done patched me up, and soon our squad were hugging each other, awashed in a celebratory mood that echoed across the city.

"We won!" "We won!" "We won!"

Some troopers flashed "V sign" symbolizing victory. Soldiers carrying their comrades and grateful civilians on their backs to celebrate too. Others raised their rifles and dance.

It's time to lower the affront in front of us; the NII flag on the pole in front of the government compound.

"Say cheese!"

Our battalion was given honor to be the first to take photos with the now-captured black jihad flag of the Islamic state.

Then a team of soldiers from the Psychological Operations quickly brought a portable speaker and proceed to blast the National Anthem when an impromptu squad raised the national flag, symbolizing it's return to the Motherland.

Not only us Indonesians, foreign fighters embedded in the volunteer battalion saluted our colors as it went up in harmony with our anthem. We won, we have won one of our first major and significant victory in the war against rebel forces. But as we're just three days in the front, our road was still long ahead!