Hamburger Hill
Martin Guiterrez

The Valley Forge, enroute to Tesca Nemerosa, cruised through space. Troopers went about their routines aboard ship.

"Hey Fife," said "Trigger" Reilly, a lanky kid of seventeen, "Heard we might be getting one of those Skinnie recruits into our squad."

Gerald Fife turned around and said, "We can't trust those Skinnies. Don't turn your back on 'em for a second or you'll find a knife in it."

The news of the Skinnie recruit spread through the squad like wildfire. The Roughnecks heard a rumor that a Skinnie would be placed in their unit too.

Hand to hand training, a way to work out one's frustrations, to train for combat, or simply a way to keep one's edge. "C'mon, I was just warming up." said Dizzy Flores. T'Phai hung back, watching this.

Fife stood up shakily from the mat, "No thanks, I've had my share of concussions from this. Why don't you fight Mazzola."

"Nah," said Schultz, "Don't do that. Mazzola will massacre her."

"Don't be so sure of that." said Rico, "On the gridiron, she'd take monster hits and keep coming. That's why we call her Dizzy."

"Hey Mazzola." said Schultz.

Tony Mazzola sat up in his bunk, "Yeah."

"Flores wants to take you on in hand to hand. Get over here." said Schultz.

"Good luck Mazzola." Barton said, "She'll massacre YOU."

"Bull." Mazzola said, "Zim maybe, but no one beats me in hand to hand."

"I already know that." Barton replied, "Dizzy's another story. She'd beat up half the guys in my company in hand to hand back in Boot."

In less than thirty seconds, Dizzy knocked Mazzola to the mat. "Was he your best?" Dizzy asked.

"No comment." said Schultz.

Lieutenant Starles walked in at that time, "Apes, with Valentin down, I'm told we're one trooper short. SICON sent us a replacement."

Behind him was a Skinnie and this caused quite an upset among his troopers. "A Skinnie?" Fife said, "We were fighting these no good SOB's on Tophet."

"What are they doin' in our unit." said Schultz.

"Can't trust 'em." Barton said.

"I never bargained for nothin' like this, when I signed up for this man's army back in the Bronx before the war." Mazzola said, "I never bargained for fighting alongside a damn Skinnie."

"Quit bellyaching," said Sgt. Zim, "Barton, rig up a talk box for Private Krul."

"Yes sir." Barton said.

"Alright, get your can's in gear." said Starles, "We drop in an hour."

Aboard the drop ship, Starles began his briefing. "This is Tesca Nemerosa, our destination. The atmosphere is breathable to humans, thus we do not need to be in full power suits this time. The Roughnecks have already taken Zeugama beach so our op is interdiction. This is Hill 572, Hamburger Hill, we call it. The bugs that hold this hill put our troops on Zeugama in danger, we must take it at all costs. Intel has revealed that there are plasma bug positions atop the hill. We must take the hill at all costs. Barton, DiStefano, you're on the Marauders."

The drop was made to take Hamburger Hill. The plasma bugs opened up immediately. The troopers were immediately pinned by exploding bug plasma.

"Magnificent Starles," said Colonel Diennes, "The finest thing these old eyes have seen in a long time."

"Sir, my troopers are pinned by heavy Bug activity. We can't move in at all." Starles said, "Requesting permission for patrol/reconaissance."

A plasma bolt exploding, sending Private Berkholt flying through the air. Berkholt struck the ground hard and shattered his spine. "Starles!" Diennes said, "A frontal attack is the only way we can take that ridge. Now you're not taking your men into the jungle to avoid a fight! Do you read me lieutenant."

"Sir, I have served with these troopers for over a year, I will not order them all to their deaths." said Starles.

"Have your Marauders take out those plasma bug positions." Diennes said.

"Sir, they'll be cut to ribbons before they can attack." Starles said.

"That's an order, Lieutenant." Diennes said.

"Yes sir." Starles replied, "Mazzola, Fife, Trigger, I'm sending you three on a diversionary assault. Maybe Barton and DiStefano can..."

Before Starles could finish his sentance, Private Krul charged forth, shrieking strange warcries.

"He's a Section Eight." Mazzola said.

"Skinnie's gone on the fritzes." said Fife.

"Hold on you pup recruits," Zim said, "Krul looks like he has a reason to be doing what he's doing."

Plasma fire erupted all around the running Skinnie and both Barton and DiStefano armed their rockets and fired their guided weapons toward the plasma bugs who went up in a flash of blue plasma.

"Let's take this hill!" said Zim.

The troopers charged up the hill, the surviving warriors, and spiders putting up a fierce struggle. A flag was eventually placed atop the hill and briefly Starles was reminded of Iwo Jima, a battle very similar to this one.

Private Krul proved himself in battle to all his fellow troopers. Hamburger Hill was secured and the battle for the hills and trails of Tesca Nemerosa continued. But that is a story for another day