| Subject: Re: ...For Meritorious Service, Chapter 27 |
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TxJAG_b
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Date Posted: 10:03:10 03/23/10 Tue
In reply to:
TxJAG_b
's message, "...For Meritorious Service, Chapter 25d, part two - continued" on 16:25:09 01/08/09 Thu
…For Meritorious Service, Chapter 27
A/N1:Thanks to my trio of editors [Mary Ann, Janlaw and Karen] for their usual fine job. Kudos also to AeroGirl, Mkim, Soleil, TZ, Janlaw for providing their help and technical expertise. Also thanks to Lisa Griffon [Yahoo Shipper Group] for her continuing support.
A/N2: Notice there isn't an 'a' after 27? That's because this is the last chapter. And, rather than confusing people with more parts - I'm just going to say 'continued' until I get all of this posted. Following this will be
an epilogue that will tie up the story and set the stage for my next story, "Tears for Allah". Enjoy
...For Meritorious Service, Chapter 27:
In the Marine Corps historical accounts [when released to the public] this battle would be known as ‘The Battle of 21 Easting’ or as the locals called it, al-Khalim Farm. Whatever name it was called, the battle for the farm was underway in earnest. Slowly, the Marines and their Iraqi allies were pushing forward across the rippling fields of sorghum toward the insurgent positions.
Oily acrid smoke and bright flames covered the battlefield. Rais Nasir Sadoon’s MT-LB personnel carrier had almost burned itself out, but the insurgent OT-64 APCs that had tried to breach the Marine – Provisional Iraqi Army lines were burning funeral pyres. The air was leaden with sooty blue smoke from the various gasoline and diesel engines of the opponents as they jockeyed for better firing positions. Other odors, ones better left to the imagination, also hung in the warm mid-morning air.
All of this was silently observed by a flight of remotely piloted aircraft better known as Predators. Looking like oversized model airplanes, the drones provided a birds-eye view of the combatants.
*~*
Andrew Baxter, CO of Gatorforce, grimaced as he looked at the images of the battlefield.
“We’ve gotta find a way around this roadblock…” he said aloud to no one in particular.
“Uh, how bad is it, Colonel?” Bud ventured curiously. Faith Coleman and Sergeant Dewert simultaneously sucked in a breath. Both were certain that Bud Roberts was about to be reamed for that comment.
If Colonel Baxter was annoyed by Bud’s question, he didn’t show it.
“If the insurgents keep us bottled up like this, the whole offensive could stall, Lieutenant.” The Gatorforce leader explained with more patience than either Coleman or Dewert had expected.
Bud nodded thoughtfully and scanned the image screens of the four RPVs. Then his eyes focused on the furthest screen, an odd movement catching his attention. “Colonel? Where is that LAV headed?”
“What?” Andrew queried, peering closely at the image the JAG Corps officer had indicated.
“There,” Bud replied pointing to the only moving vehicle on the screen display.
Sergeant Dewert leaned over Bud’s shoulder. “That’s Rover One, Lieutenant;” he turned and looked at the Gatorforce CO. “Corporal Jay Raden, Colonel.”
Andrew nodded. “Dewert, get me Sergeant DeWald; find out where that LAV is going, and follow him; he must be looking for a way around this roadblock….” It was a hopeful thought.
Shark Two’s Ambush Positions
Nate Peters got up first and sprinted away from Kayce and the others. “I’ll check on the Colonel and the others, Staff Sergeant!” he yelled back at Mark Dallas.
“Peters! Get back here!” Barked Dallas, “There might be more insurgents around here! You want to get your stupid head blown off?!”
Joe Corbin looked over at Jim Stallings who had started to get up. “Don’t you even think about it, hero…” growled Corbin. Jim slowly lowered himself back onto the ground.
Corporal Peters scrambled to the bottom of the hill and suddenly stopped. Laid out in front of him was a hellish scene. What was left of Corporal Willet’s pickup truck was burning fiercely. He could see a headless figure was slumped over the anti-aircraft machine gun in the bed of the truck, but he couldn’t make out who it had been.
He silently began cussing Bullard when he saw an unharmed Eddie Willet standing next to the Colonel and Master Guns Galindez. (And those suck-ups Danvers and Yader are right next to the Colonel…) but he didn’t see Harry anywhere. Where was he?
Harry was supposed to be working with the Master Guns. (Poor Szymas…) Nate thought as he looked at the burning figure, he wondered if the Sergeant had felt the explosion…
Victor was just about to answer Mac when Corporal Peters trotted down the hill, unaware anything was amiss. The Master Guns strode over to the Corporal who was supposed to be with the rest of the hunter killer team.
“Peters!” Victor said, snapping the Corporal out of his silent analysis. “Why the hell aren’t you with Staff Sergeant Dallas?”
“Uh, the Staff Sergeant, sent me down to investigate the explosion,” he said lying effortlessly. Darcy had taught him well. Now it was almost second nature for him to not tell the truth. Coming from a religious family, it had been hard for him at first, but with Jacques Lewis and Rudy Wilbane’s help, he had learned how to lie with the best of them.
“Who’d we lose, Master Guns?” he said staring at the burning wreck, hoping he looked appropriately shocked and saddened.
“It was Sergeant Armstrong, Nathan.” Eddie said quietly. “He was manning the machine gun….”
FEBA (Forward Area of Battle)
Northeast of Mirbullah
Sergeant Kyle Sewett looked around for his wingman. He knew the heat and noise of the battlefield was disorienting, but he had been working hard with Raden to keep him focused during his first combat experience. But now he was gone. Kyle looked over at his CAAT team leader. “Wolverine leader; where the hell is Rover One?!”
2nd Lieutenant Alan Thomason, Wolverine Leader, grimaced. He hated giving Kyle bad news. “Rover One alpha to Rover Three actual; Rover one bugged out…”
Because Kyle took it so well. “Bugged out? What direction?!” barked Sergeant Sewett. The Lieutenant swore he had been taking lessons from Staff Sergeant Fuller.
Alan hated this. He started to hand off his radio to his subordinate who deftly shook his head. Alan threw the man ‘a disgusted officer look’ before speaking into the mike again. “Northwest, Rover Three actual…”
Kyle may have only been a Sergeant, but he was unit leader on this expedition. “Wolverine leader; take Casano and Dillman with you…find out where Rover One is headed, out.”
“Wolverine Leader, roger, out.”
Shark Two
Nate’s legs felt rubbery. He looked from Eddie Willet toward the burning wreckage and back again. “Sergeant Armstrong?” he barely croaked to no one in particular. “Harry?”
Victor Galindez put his hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “He’s gone, Corporal.”
Kayce Danvers and the others were making their way back down the hill. Jim Stallings, who had been talking with Luke Calapango, froze in his tracks. Nate pinned him with a look of pure hatred.
“Your good buddy, Bullard, he did this,” Corporal Peters growled as he stared at Jim. Victor tried to remain stoic.
Jim though was in full denial mode. “Wha? Tim? Nate, man, listen to me--”
As Jim stumbled for an answer, Mark Dallas, Joe Corbin and the others regarded him as if he had suddenly sprouted another head.
Vicky Logan was the first to bring up her rifle, pointing it at the nebbish Lance Corporal. “You dirty sonavab…!”
Luke wrestled Stallings’ rifle away from him. Jim continued to plead for understanding. “Vicky, Luke, you got it all wrong…”
Victor looked at Frank who shrugged his shoulders. Mac, meanwhile, had watched all of this interplay very carefully. There was another shift in power taking place. Had they discovered all of Darcy’s moles? Or would others appear to discipline those who had lost control?
Near the Line of Departure
Leroy Jethro Gibbs tapped his subordinate on the shoulder. Tony looked up at Gibbs, confused.
“Grab your gear; we’re getting close to Colonel Baxter’s command post!” The silver haired NCIS Agent snapped.
Before Tony could ask how he knew that, the big carrier rattled to a stop. Sergeant Canella looked over at the two NCIS Agents. “This is our stop, gentlemen, but then you probably already knew that, didn’t you, Special Agent Gibbs?”
The Senior NCIS Agent merely flashed him a tight smile as he led Tony toward the lowering ramp.
“C’mon DiNozzo; let’s go see what else Commander Coleman and Lieutenant Roberts have learned….”
Rat Patrol
“I don’t get it, Commander…” Coskill was flummoxed. “Why kill one of their own?”
“A falling out maybe, Master Chief,” Brad May surmised out loud. “Or maybe a failed attempt at killing Colonel MacKenzie…possibly she went too far in destroying those insurgent vehicles….”
Petty Officer Seibert put a quick end to their theorizing. “Commander! Master Chief! They’re packing up their gear and pulling out!”
Release Point, Route Bravo
Somewhere Northeast of Mirbullah
Pulkownik (Colonel) Luisa Baranova shifted in her seat next to vehicle commander Sierzant Andre Lesinski. She knew they were headed into certain combat as did her fellow senior officers. She wondered whether the younger soldiers of her unit realized that. She sometimes forgot that to them, this was just a big adventure.
It was this kind of unease that made her question, just for moment, if it was a good idea to do this. After all, they were supposed to be peacekeepers…but then sometimes, she reminded herself, even peacekeepers had to use force.
And this was one of those times. Whether Colonel Briggs liked it or not, her unit was going to support her ally.
The lead missile-armed Polish modified BRDM armored car of the 45th Reconnaissance Battalion edged its way alongside the prehistoric looking American Marine personnel carriers [better known as AMTRACs] that were lined up along the length of the farm road.
Behind her two other BRDMs followed and behind them was a trio of missile-armed SKOT2 AP OT-64 wheeled personnel carriers ‘borrowed’ from Captain Ahmad Azeri’s provisional combat unit. These were followed by Colonel Baranova’s own Motorized Rifle Company in their own OT-64 carriers and these were in turn followed by another trio of Azeri’s missile bearing wheeled carriers.
“Kapitan Chidorz, I trust your troops are ready for action,” Luisa said as she spoke into her radio mike.
His response made her smile. “Just as we discussed, Colonel. We’re forming up behind Captain Azeri’s units, correct?”
“Correct Kapitan; we’ll pass through his formation and link up with Colonel Baxter’s forces.”
Through her periscope, she spotted three HMMWVs. Something told her that she needed to follow them. “But first, Sierzant Lesinski and I are going to assist those Marines.”
“Yes Colonel.”
Shark Two
Mac decided that she had to go on the offensive or face yet another ‘Darcy ambush/test’ and then another, until her unit would be rendered combat ineffective.
“Staff Sergeant Corbin!”
“Yes ma’am!”
“You and your men will stay with Corporal Willet and his truck, tend to Corporal Flemminger, keep an on eye on Lance Corporal Stallings and provide security. When you are relieved by Colonel Briggs’ advance units, you will move to join us at al-Sahood’s hideout.”
“Aye, aye, Colonel!” Joe Corbin knew what Colonel MacKenzie was doing; she was throwing down the gauntlet, daring any other Darcy ally to show himself.
“Master Guns, you, Sergeant Witt, Lance Corporal Danvers, Corporal Calapango, Petty Officer Yader, Sergeant Szymas and I will go after the fugitives.”
“Yes ma’am.” They responded as one.
“Staff Sergeant Dallas you and your team will act as our back up.”
There was no dissent. “Aye, aye ma’am,”
“Sergeant Williams, Corporal Burges -- are the rest of your vehicles still operational?”
“Aye, aye ma’am; just give the word. We’re good to go.” The sergeant replied for both of them.
“It’s given; gentlemen, ladies, let’s move out.”
“Mount up Marines!” Victor snapped to the assembled Force Recon soldiers.
As the soldiers began moving to their assigned vehicles, Lance Corporal Bledsoe presented himself to Mac.
“Colonel?”
Mac really wasn’t up for another challenge to her authority “What is it, Lance Corporal?” she replied curtly.
Bledsoe was unswayed by her short reply. “Ma’am, Permission to join you and your team--”
Joe Corbin looked over and saw the Lance Corporal standing in front of Mac. “Bledsoe!” he bellowed.
Mac was ready though to put down any sort of shenanigans that Arnold Bledsoe had in mind. “Lance Corporal, I…” she began harshly as she began to walk around him.
The young Lance Corporal cut her off before she could finish and moved to block her, causing the Light Colonel’s eyes to flare in anger. Arnie was quick to explain his actions.
“Colonel, I apologize for my previous behavior up to this point, let me prove--”
“Bledsoe you have five seconds to get your miserable butt over here!” Staff Sergeant Corbin began moving in the direction of Mac and the Lance Corporal.
Mac though, heard something in Arnold Bledsoe’s voice she hadn’t heard before.
“Wait one Staff Sergeant; okay Bledsoe; why do you want to come with me?”
The Lance Corporal was glad to have this audience and plainly stated his case. “To show you and the others that I am not the screw-up you think I am. I want to nail Bullard and Staff Sergeant Reynolds as bad as you do. They betrayed you; they betrayed me; they betrayed all of us. Please, Colonel, let me go with you….”
Mac couldn’t tell what Lance Corporal Bledsoe’s real motives were, maybe it was righteous anger, or it could be he was another Darcy plant. There was no way to know. She’d have to trust her gut that was telling her to give him another chance.
“Bledsoe,” Victor said in his threatening senior NCO tone.
“It’s all right, Master Guns,” Mac said in response. She turned back to Bledsoe. “Okay Lance Corporal, you have your chance – now, get your gear and let’s go.”
“Thank you ma’am.” Arnold said with sincere gratitude and ran to grab his rucksack. (Either he’s a really good actor, or he’s being honest) Mac thought as she watched him head back to the idling pickup truck.
*~*
Arnie Bledsoe climbed into the bed of Corporal Burges’ pick-up. As he started to settle down he noticed Corporal Logan staring balefully at him.
“You do anything the least bit odd, man, and I will blow your damn head wide open.”
Arnold couldn’t say anything to that. He simply nodded. As he did, Corporal Burges put the Dodge truck in gear and the two vehicle convoy moved out.
*~*
Inside the cab of the truck, Master Guns Galindez was seated next to Mac.
“Which direction, Master Guns?” She said off-handedly as she looked out her side window.
“I’m sorry ma’am?” Victor said blithely
Mac’s voice dropped an octave. “Don’t make me pull out my side arm and point it at you, Master Gunnery Sergeant. Just tell me the location of al-Sahood’s safe house.”
Don Burges did his best to keep his eyes pointed straight ahead. (How long had the Colonel known that the Master Guns was part of Darcy’s crew?) he wondered.
Victor nodded. Mac was making sure any other friends of Darcy knew who was in charge now. Part of him, though, was really unnerved by her cold display, but another part of him was glad she was taking charge like this. “Northwest ma’am, just beyond this hill,” he said quietly, trying to sound chastened, but defiant. “But you’ll have to pass through several checkpoints before we get there,” he warned.
The Light Colonel gave him a cold smile. “I figured that was the case, Master Guns; that’s why I didn’t leave you behind.”
She looked over at Corporal Burges. “Northwest, Corporal; best speed.”
“Aye, aye ma’am.” Don replied as he put the truck into gear.
*~*
Kayce, who had been able to hear what took place turned around and smiled at the Force Recon Marines around her. “Looks like the Colonel’s in charge of this mission now.”
That brought smiles to everyone but Sergeant Witt who busied himself with his man pack radio. To keep his true feelings hidden, he pretended to be pre-occupied with fine tuning his equipment.
Samir al-Sahood’s Safe House
Somewhere North of Mirbullah
Hamid Faoud al-Harib sat down at the table across from his mentor. Hamid was spent. He had been up until the early hours of this morning, working out last minute kinks in the plans for the chemical attack on the American Marines.
Samir had been, until that moment, looking at his laptop apparently deep in thought. When Hamid sat down across from him, he lifted his eyes so that he could see his number one pupil and most promising protégée.
“Greetings Hamid. How are preparations coming?” He said smiling. “Are the missile trucks ready?”
Hamid appeared to study the back of Samir’s laptop rather than look the older man directly in the eye. He did not like disappointing him. “We have two operational missile trucks and two short range rocket trucks that are ready, Samir.”
“You were supposed give me four operational missile trucks!” Samir glowered as he replied cuttingly. “Do you realize that this puts our operation into serious jeopardy?”
Hamid bowed his head at his rebuke. “I know Samir, forgive me….”
“What is the problem?” Samir said dismissing his apology. “What is it that you need? Do you need more technicians? More mechanics?”
“It-it is the age of the vehicles, Samir, and the fact that their maintenance was neglected for several months before they came into our possession….”
“Even now, at this moment of certain victory, Allah challenges me to do better.” Samir’s anger seemed to wash itself from him. Then he looked at his protégée.
“So we have two operational SCUD missile launchers? Can the other vehicles move at all?”
“They can Samir,” Hamid was glad he could report some good news.
“Excellent, excellent. Then we will use them as decoys for the inevitable American air strike…”
“You’re certain they will launch an air attack?”
“Hamid, these are Americans, he said as if speaking to a child. Hamid bridled at this but because it was his mentor telling him this, he tolerated it. “They will come at us with everything they have and we have to prepare accordingly.”
“Then we will prepare the first two missile vehicles as decoys…and two of the short range rocket trucks.” Hamid replied with hint of smugness.
Samir was taken aback that his plan now hinged on just two SCUD missile trucks and two Free Rocket Over Ground, or FROG, short range rocket trucks, but he didn’t dare let Hamid know this. To show any wavering at this point could spell disaster and he would not abort his plan now.
“Perfect Hamid; I knew I could count on you to help me see this plan through. Now to other business; how goes the battle at the farm?”
“As predicted, we have lost several of the personnel carriers given to us by the Republican Guard…”
“Ah yes, that was to be expected.” He said sadly. “Dahab told me the Marines had very good anti-vehicle weapons…”
“But we have stalled their advance. They had to bring up more reinforcements in order to begin moving forward again.”
“As I predicted, Hamid. Our Soldiers of Allah will be rewarded in Paradise for their fight against the American Marines.”
“That is true, Samir, but there is one troubling development.”
“Oh? And what is that?”
“The Polish contingent from al-Diwaniyah has sent an armored unit and helicopter gunships to join the Americans….”
“Really? Against the wishes of Colonel Briggs? I wonder why Dahab didn’t anticipate this?”
Hamid was still not used to this American woman, Dahab, better known to the Americans as Darcy Livingston, being a willing part of this plan.
“Colonel Baranova, the leader of the Polish contingent, is very unpredictable. Dahab confessed she is hard to read.”
Hamid wondered if Darcy was having second thoughts about her part in this operation. If so, then his scouts could eliminate Dahab as a potential threat. Samir didn’t need to be bothered with the details. He trusted the younger man and Hamid would do whatever was necessary to make sure their plan was a success – even if it meant killing Samir’s lover.
If the leader of the al-Diwaniyah al-Qaeda terrorist cell suspected what his protégée was planning, he didn’t give any indication. Samir’s mind was more focused on defeating the American Marines.
He stood up, brushing his hands together as if wiping them off. “Well, no matter. Colonel Briggs only has speculative information about the missile attack. By the time he and Colonel Baranova figure out what is really going on, it will be too late for them to do anything about it. See to it that the decoy vehicles are readied and moved into position.”
“Yes Samir,” Hamid replied respectfully.
Just south of FEBA
Somewhere Northeast of Mirbullah
Sergeant Louis ‘Lucky Louie’ Casano ordered his driver to turn down the path taken by Jay Raden’s LAV. Casano’s gun truck was followed by Lieutenant Thomason’s and Corporal Dillman’s HMMWVs.
“Are you sure they headed this way, Sergeant?” Lieutenant Thomason asked pointedly. Casano was sure the source of his irritation was not caused by whether or not this was the trail Raden took but more likely that Kyle Sewett, Fuller’s second in command, had chewed on him. Sergeants sometimes seem to take a special delight in ‘correcting’ supposedly senior officers. Besides, it had been Thomason’s job to keep track of Raden. Sewett wasn’t about to let something like this slide.
“Yes sir, Corporal Raden took this path….” affirmed Casano. Just because Kyle jumped all over him didn’t mean that Thomason was incompetent. Besides Louie kind of liked the new officer.
Jon Dillman, bringing up the rear of the three man convoy, spoke up. “Doesn’t make any sense, Lieutenant, why would Raden go this way? It doesn’t seem to lead anywhere….”
“We’re going to find out, Corporal.” replied Thomason. “Sergeant, do you see any sign of Raden’s truck?”
“No sir, Lieutenant,” Casano replied, “Any luck trying to raise him on the radio, sir?”
“Dillman?”
“Nothing, Lieutenant,” Dillman reported. “If he’s out there, he’s not responding….”
“Keep trying Dillman,”
“Aye, aye, sir.”
Jon tried the radio again. “Wolverine two seven to Rover one, do you copy? Rover one, acknowledge….”
*~*
“Sewett’s gonna skin Raden’s hide when he gets hold of him, isn’t he?” Casano’s driver said smiling.
The Sergeant cut his eyes toward his driver. “Stow it, Lance Corporal.”
“Aye sir.”
*~*
As the three HMMWV’s approached a bend in the trail, the rattle of two heavy machine guns filled the air.
“Ambush!” Casano yelled at his driver as tracer rounds smacked into their windscreen, “Hard right!!”
7.62mm slugs from Rover One’s M-240 coaxial machine gun and Raden’s anti-aircraft machine gun stitched themselves over the hood of the Hum-vee.
Casano’s truck veered off the road to the right, while Lieutenant Thomason’s Hum-vee skittered to the left out of Raden’s line of fire and buried itself in the underbrush. A line of bullets stitched the side of his HMMWV.
Because Corporal Dillman’s vehicle was the last to take evasive maneuvers, it took the brunt of the assault. Hammered by fusillade of bullets, the Hum-vee swerved first left and then right as Dillman sought to avoid Raden’s assault. Dillman’s gunner, PFC Gil Swanson, fired back 40mm grenades from his M-19 grenade launchers with equal ferocity, until Raden’s bullets silenced him.
Badly wounded, Jon Dillman skidded his truck off the path and into some soft sand that lined the trail.
*~*
There was chaos aboard Rover One.
“Gunner!” growled Jay above the rattle of his M-240 anti-aircraft machine gun. “HE ((high explosive)), three HMMWVs!”
“Cannot identify!” Barked his gunner, Lance Corporal Jesse Strong. John Pogue turned and looked at Strong as if he had lost his mind.
“From my position!” Jay snarled attempting to take over firing of the 25mm chaingun.
“Jam! We’ve got a jam down here, Corporal!” reported Strong.
Jay Raden dropped down through his open hatch “There’d better be a jammed round in that carriage,” he said as he moved over the main gun and began looking at the belted rounds that were feeding into the gun carriage.
“Dammit!” snapped Jay as he saw the jammed round. “Lance Corporal, get up in my position and maintain fire on those HMMWVs!”
Corporal Strong didn’t move. “I think I should try to clear the jam, Jay.”
Jay’s moved to within inches of his face. “And I told you to man that two forty, Lance Corporal…now are you going to get up there or are you going find yourself hit by a stray round from one of those Hum-vees?”
“Guys! There’s another vehicle coming through the bushes!” Pogue yelled.
*~*
Sierzant Andre Lesinski couldn’t believe what he was seeing. True, he had seen soldiers of the same unit fire on each other – what they call friendly fire – but this LAV crew wasn’t making a ‘heat of battle’ mistake. Since when do American Marines fire on each other?
He made a snap decision. “Gunner! Harassing fire on that armored truck!”
Colonel Baranova peered through the BRDM’s periscope at the same time at the bizarre sight. Incredibly, the American Marine LAV continued firing on the Marine HMMWVs.
Luisa Baranova watched as the BRDM’s 12.7mm machine gun began scoring hits on the Marine armored truck.
*~*
“What the hell?!” Jay said at the sound of 12.7mm rounds bouncing off the LAV’s armor plate. All three men flinched as the rounds continued to hit the truck.
“We’ve got a Polish BRDM firing at us!” Pogue barked.
“You!” Jay said to Strong. “Get that jam cleared!!” Then he turned you John. “And you! Get us out of here!”
*~*
As Lesinski’s gunner continued firing at the LAV-25, it began backing away from them, but as armored truck did so, it began firing at the BRDM. Now 7.62mm rounds began pinging off the Polish armored car.
“Coaxial!” Lesinki ordered. “We’ve got to keep the pressure on him!!”
“Let’s go! Let’s go!! Get us outta here John!!” Jay Raden’s strident voice matched his anxiety about this whole situation. It was all coming apart, and Darcy was going to blame him for it.
---TBC…
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