02-01-2025, 05:40 PM
14 February 5593, Bianca, Caistra Wilayat, Solentia.
Jezkai instinctively put on his seat belt. It was a futile gesture given what he was about to do, but muscle memory had kicked in. He was hot, which wasn't surprising as it was almost the end of summer in Solentia, but he was really hot, sweating profusely, nervous about what was to happen. But weren't the rewards worth it. All those dead non-belivers? And all those wide eyed virgins in the afterlife...
The Mullah had worked on him and his friends for months. They had travelled overland to Solentia through Deltaria, through Kalopia and into Solentia through the southern city of Canneante. Despite entering a war zone they had rarely been stopped. Once into Deltaria, once into Kalopia, and then surprisingly at the Kalopia-Solentia border not much interest had been paid to the handful of people crossing that way, the focus was on the thousands of people trying to get out of Solentia. Then he and his friends and met their Ahmadi State sponsors in the city of Manrana. The city wasn't what Jezkai had expected of the promised holy land of Solentia. He'd seen Churches with Hosians going unhindered, he'd seen women with their hair uncovered and unaccompanied going about their lives, no different from any non-Ahmadi country. After this a long journey to the mountains of Saspain Wilayat and arrival at the Ahmadi State training camp.
The training had been intense. Religious studies combined with physical fitness and weapons handling. Beatings for those who didn't adhere to the strict rules. Bliss from the intense bonding with other fighters for Akim. He lived, trained and prayed with men from all over. Some from his Jelbek homeland, local Solentian men whose parents came to visit them and bring them cakes and other treats, hardened Turjak fighters from Jakania. He even met two blonde Ahmadi converts from somewhere in Artania, and black faced fighters from somewhere called Talmoria.
Then he was ready. He was needed to fight the apostate and kaffir Kalopians who had blasted their way into Solentia. The Mullah's had promised Ahmadi State would help their fellow jihadis in Jaish-e Ahmadi. He had been selected for showing the mental and physical skills required to become a martyr. Before he began his journey back to Caista Wilayat he and a few of his friends were taking to the large building in the training camp. It was not one most recruits were allowed into, only those who were ready to complete their martyr missions. In the building he met senior leaders he had not seen before along with wealthy men from Al-Badara who had come to see the fruit of their labour. He was given a concoction, alcohol? Drugs? Who knew, but when he woke up he was in paradise, surrounded by several virgins with whom he had a night of pleasure.
But that was two weeks ago. Now he was in Bianca, a border city between Solentia and Kalopia that the Kalopia army were now in control of.
"Akim akbar. Akim akbar. Akim akbar. Akim akbar." he mumbled over and over to himself. He would be the third of his team to conduct a martyr attack. His friends had killed and wounded dozens two days earlier with separate attacks on a police recruitment centre and a Hosian Church.
He waited for his target. He checked his switch was connected to the detonator. He looked at the spotter who waited at the end of the street. Then he got his signal. A Kalopian army patrol was coming. He turned the engine on and waited, waited, waited. The first armoured head looked round the street corner. Then a body in Kalopian uniform, then a second and a third. The Kalopians were still conducting foot patrols. The aim was to show a presence and an intent to provide security in the city. They had started wearing helmets and full body armour after the first martyr attack by another team a few weeks ago.
"Akim akbar. Akim akbar. Akim akbar. Akim akbar." Jezkai worked himself up. The spotter gave the signal, the entire foot patrol were in view. At the other end of the street Jezkai knew the rest of his team were preparing to open fire on the patrol to draw their attention away from the vehicle. Then he heard it, rapid automatic fire opened up. The well trained Kalopian patrol went to ground, sought cover and then began to return fire. Jezkai could see the patrol commander speaking into his radio. It was time.
"Akim akbar! Akim akbar!! Akim akbar!!! Akim akbar!!!" Jezkai shouted over and over again as he revved the engine of his weapon with its 500lb load, put his foot down on the accelerator and drove down the street as far as he could.
The last view Jezkai had before he began his ascent to paradise was the surprised expression of the Kalopian soldiers who had turned to face this new threat from their kneeling positions. They had barely had time to turn their rifles to face Jezkai before his was able to turn the vehicle into a suicide bomb.
Jezkai instinctively put on his seat belt. It was a futile gesture given what he was about to do, but muscle memory had kicked in. He was hot, which wasn't surprising as it was almost the end of summer in Solentia, but he was really hot, sweating profusely, nervous about what was to happen. But weren't the rewards worth it. All those dead non-belivers? And all those wide eyed virgins in the afterlife...
The Mullah had worked on him and his friends for months. They had travelled overland to Solentia through Deltaria, through Kalopia and into Solentia through the southern city of Canneante. Despite entering a war zone they had rarely been stopped. Once into Deltaria, once into Kalopia, and then surprisingly at the Kalopia-Solentia border not much interest had been paid to the handful of people crossing that way, the focus was on the thousands of people trying to get out of Solentia. Then he and his friends and met their Ahmadi State sponsors in the city of Manrana. The city wasn't what Jezkai had expected of the promised holy land of Solentia. He'd seen Churches with Hosians going unhindered, he'd seen women with their hair uncovered and unaccompanied going about their lives, no different from any non-Ahmadi country. After this a long journey to the mountains of Saspain Wilayat and arrival at the Ahmadi State training camp.
The training had been intense. Religious studies combined with physical fitness and weapons handling. Beatings for those who didn't adhere to the strict rules. Bliss from the intense bonding with other fighters for Akim. He lived, trained and prayed with men from all over. Some from his Jelbek homeland, local Solentian men whose parents came to visit them and bring them cakes and other treats, hardened Turjak fighters from Jakania. He even met two blonde Ahmadi converts from somewhere in Artania, and black faced fighters from somewhere called Talmoria.
Then he was ready. He was needed to fight the apostate and kaffir Kalopians who had blasted their way into Solentia. The Mullah's had promised Ahmadi State would help their fellow jihadis in Jaish-e Ahmadi. He had been selected for showing the mental and physical skills required to become a martyr. Before he began his journey back to Caista Wilayat he and a few of his friends were taking to the large building in the training camp. It was not one most recruits were allowed into, only those who were ready to complete their martyr missions. In the building he met senior leaders he had not seen before along with wealthy men from Al-Badara who had come to see the fruit of their labour. He was given a concoction, alcohol? Drugs? Who knew, but when he woke up he was in paradise, surrounded by several virgins with whom he had a night of pleasure.
But that was two weeks ago. Now he was in Bianca, a border city between Solentia and Kalopia that the Kalopia army were now in control of.
"Akim akbar. Akim akbar. Akim akbar. Akim akbar." he mumbled over and over to himself. He would be the third of his team to conduct a martyr attack. His friends had killed and wounded dozens two days earlier with separate attacks on a police recruitment centre and a Hosian Church.
He waited for his target. He checked his switch was connected to the detonator. He looked at the spotter who waited at the end of the street. Then he got his signal. A Kalopian army patrol was coming. He turned the engine on and waited, waited, waited. The first armoured head looked round the street corner. Then a body in Kalopian uniform, then a second and a third. The Kalopians were still conducting foot patrols. The aim was to show a presence and an intent to provide security in the city. They had started wearing helmets and full body armour after the first martyr attack by another team a few weeks ago.
"Akim akbar. Akim akbar. Akim akbar. Akim akbar." Jezkai worked himself up. The spotter gave the signal, the entire foot patrol were in view. At the other end of the street Jezkai knew the rest of his team were preparing to open fire on the patrol to draw their attention away from the vehicle. Then he heard it, rapid automatic fire opened up. The well trained Kalopian patrol went to ground, sought cover and then began to return fire. Jezkai could see the patrol commander speaking into his radio. It was time.
"Akim akbar! Akim akbar!! Akim akbar!!! Akim akbar!!!" Jezkai shouted over and over again as he revved the engine of his weapon with its 500lb load, put his foot down on the accelerator and drove down the street as far as he could.
The last view Jezkai had before he began his ascent to paradise was the surprised expression of the Kalopian soldiers who had turned to face this new threat from their kneeling positions. They had barely had time to turn their rifles to face Jezkai before his was able to turn the vehicle into a suicide bomb.