Title: Back To Barak, Chapter One
Disclaimer: "Over There" and all its characters belong to FX Networks and other entities that may have been involved with its production. No infringement of copyright is intended. This story was writtenfor personal enjoyment and to share with other "Over There" fans.
Summary: When Lieutenant Hunter volunteers the squad to infiltrate and capture Iraqi insurgents, all hell breaks loose.
Warning: Be warned that this story does include depictions of war; these depictions may describe consequential injuries and death, and while not overly graphic, they may cause some readers discomfort. Please read at your own risk.
This is a shout-out to all my new friends at the Yahoo Group: TheOverThereFanFictionSquad
He strode quickly from his tent and headed across the compound, his anger fueling him and giving him momentum. He needed to put some space between himself and everything else until he could regain his composure and he ignored several greetings as he propelled himself forward. When he had gone a good two hundred paces, and was at the far side of the base he stopped and turned around, hands on hips, bending forward at the waist and breathing heavily. Goddamn but it was hot already! He unbuttoned his B.D.U jacket and coughed on the dusty air several times before he could breathe in deeply.
A lieutenant in the United States Army? Like they've never made a mistake? The man was a liability! The man couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag with a pair of scissors, and here he was embarking on a suicide mission just to make himself look good and taking his platoon along with him!
Yeah, he'd be right along with them alright; either fucking things up or until the shit hit the fan; then he'd manage to pull a groin muscle and wind up calling the shots from behind cover!
Power hungry, half-witted, egoistical, incompetent-
"Fearless in battle, my ass! " Silas yelled.
The darkness gave way to grey and the grey eventually faded to include blue. Gentle streaks of red, orange, and yellow stretched like fingers across the sky as the sun began to rise over the mountainous terrain and finally became the bright blue of morning. By then the base camp was buzzing with activity.
Sgt. Malatucci, a tall dark haired man of approximately Silas's age and sporting fierce sunburn, met up with him as he was heading toward the mess hall. "Hey, Chris! Underpants was just looking for you." He said with a wry look on his face, falling in step along Silas.
Silas stopped short and grumbled a brief "Great! Just what I goddamn needed before breakfast."
"Hey." Malucci responded. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, pal." He paused for a beat, and then said, "I heard you had a chat a couple days ago with 'The Duke' about Underpants. Any good news?"
"Nope. Same old shit. He's in charge, goddamn it"
"Hmphf! You mean God help us, we're already damned! I'd even take Mad Cow back! "
"You and everyone else."
"Yeah. Even 'the Moo' at his worst was a better soldier then Underpants!" He shook his head. "Anyway, he was headed towards the barracks looking for you. I'll catch you later." Malatucci said, clapping him on the shoulder and continuing on toward the mess hall, while Silas did an about-face and re-traced his steps back to the barracks.
He pushed aside one half of the entrance flap and stepped inside, stopping dead in his tracks. There standing over his bunk with his back to the entrance, was Lieutenant Hunter, looking down with great interest at a small hardcover black and white composition book, with its cover folded back to show a few paragraphs written in pencil. The book, which had been left beneath his pillow earlier, was now in plain site. Silas cleared his throat loudly, causing Hunter to jump and turn around with a look on his face akin to a child who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He walked quickly around the opposite side of his bunk, snatching the book up, and folded the cover closed.
"Is there something I can help you with, Lieutenant? Any particular reason you're looking thru my personal belongings? "
"I…uh, I was just looking for you, Sgt," the senior officer sputtered, standing up even straighter, trying to cover his embarrassment.
"Well, sir, I can guarantee your not going to find me under that pillow."
"You might want to put your personal items in your foot locker in the future."
Hunter retorted, folding his arms on his chest and acting as if the sergeant's failure to do so was a plausible excuse for his rude behavior.
"Well, I've never had anyone go thru my personal things before. Sir." Silas looked him straight in the eye, making it clear that he took Hunter for the lying sack of camel crap that he really was. "You were looking for me, Lieutenant? He asked impatiently.
Hunter was suddenly all business." Yes, I was sergeant. Tell the men that we'll be leaving at precisely 0-1300, in full gear. Prior to that, they'll be needed to help load the trucks. We've been given a special assignment. Some one-goat shit-hole. "He said, pulling out a large folded map and fumbling with it until he found the spot he was looking for. "Here it is," he said stabbing his forefinger against the map. "It's called Barak."
"Yes, sir." Silas responded, "We've had duty in Barak before, we're familiar with the area. It's also, if I'm not mistaken, where that reporter and his staff were injured when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb two weeks ago. That was followed by bombing three of our supply trucks this past week. It was my understanding that the entire area was considered a hot zone and we were withdrawing troops for the time being."
"Well, yes…..that is until I volunteered my men for the job-"
"Excuse me, sir; did you say you'd volunteered us? Scream asked incredulously. "With Barak considered a no-fly zone, we wouldn't have the back-up or support for a mission -"
"A bunch of heathens are not going to stop us!" Hunter yelled disdainfully over the sergeant's voice. "The United States Army isn't going to allow murderers and terrorist's running around in robes, to get in the way of our resolve to bring democracy to this ass backward country! And I expect every man under me to show a little more backbone and adhere themselves to the task at hand!"
Ignoring Hunter's slur on his troops and holding back the ire that the comment had raised, Silas calmly asked, "And what exactly is our mission?" followed by an off-handed "sir."
"Our mission is to infiltrate the Iraqi lines, then find and apprehend this pitiful group of insurgents that have been ambushing our troops and supply trucks. When we have them, they'll be taken into custody. Now, you have your orders, Sergeant," he said as he walked toward the exit, stopping and turning just as he reached the tent flap. "I'll expect you'll have my men ready."
Staff Sergeant Christopher Silas was filled with an anger that was almost palpable; anger so intense that it rolled off him in waves and wafted on air turned so thick, that anyone inhaling it might possibly choke. He stood stiffly in front of the long table that served as the Captain's desk, and waited patiently for him to finish whatever task he was engrossed in.
"Sergeant? Are you sure you wouldn't like to have a seat?" Captain Baron asked, glancing up quickly. "I wouldn't be much longer, and you'll be a lot much more comfortable."
"No thank you, SIR." Silas replied, sharply enough for his C.O to quickly glance back up at him.
"You're angry again." Baron replied, sitting up. He closed the lid of his Notebook PC and leaned back with a sigh. "At ease, Sergeant. I suppose this has something to do with Lieutenant Hunter?"
"Yes sir." replied Silas, hands clasped behind his back, his posture no less relaxed.
"Proceed."
"Sir, I must again, respectfully request that you transfer Lieutenant Hunter to another unit, or transfer my squad to another platoon commander. The team has absolutely no confidence in the lieutenant's ability to lead them and his actions continuously put the men under his command at risk."
Captain Baron leaned forward on his forearms. "Sergeant, we've been over this before. I can't simply re-assign a platoon commander just cause because my squad leaders disagree with his methods, or because there's a clash of personalities." He rose from his chair and walked around the table standing directly in front of Silas, and leaning back against the table.
"I should also mention that Lieutenant Hunter is not too happy with you and your squad at the moment. He felt that you all should have been put on report for failing to notify him when the squad went out into the village in search of the bomber a few nights ago. He insists he told you he wanted to be notified of any future developments."
Silas's jaw grated. "What he wanted was to make sure he could claim the credit. He came running into the village, creating such a commotion that he alerted the bomber and got a grenade thrown at us! What the Lieutenant considers being 'fearless in battle', is nothing more then grabbing a gun and charging recklessly into a firefight! Sir!"
Baron peered at his soldier." Excuse me, Sergeant, but 'fearless in battle?"
"Yes, sir. That's what he informed me the first day he was assigned to the squad; that I'd find him fearless in battle, but he wasn't going to let what happened to Lt. Taylor happen to him. He also insinuated a certain man in our squad was to blame for Lieutenant Taylor's death, Sir!" Silas concluded clearly angry.
Baron shook his head. A moment passed.
"Sir," Silas asked in a more moderate tone, "did you okay this mission in Barak?"
Baron looked down at his army-issue boots for a moment and sighed before raising his head." No sergeant, I did not. Apparently battalion was looking for a team to go in and infiltrate the lines. Both General Downer and Colonel Ryan remembered you and your men. When your squad was mentioned, I understand that Lt. Hunter jumped at the offer."
Silas snorted. "Why am I not surprised." he said under his breath.
"This is out of my hands. " Baron said. "As far as the mission in Barak, I've been assured that you will have support, both ground and air, ready and waiting to be deployed at a moments notice, and that came straight from battalion. With regard to Lieutenant Hunter, that is also out of my hands." Baron stood up and walked around the table returning to his seat. "I'm sorry Sergeant, but that's all I can do. I know he's not one of the most liked men in this camp, but everyone is going to have to get along in order to continue with our objectives."
Neither man spoke for several moments.
"Was there anything else?"
Silas turned his head to face his commanding officer. "Sir, I think you know that I'm not in the habit of disrespecting my senior officers, but this complaint has absolutely nothing to do with my ability to get along. For the record, my only concern is Lieutenant Hunter's lack of skill in the field and his inability to think about his actions before putting an entire squad at risk. The men do not trust him to lead them or consider their welfare, and with this alone in mind, I am seriously concerned about the situation that we will be placing ourselves in later today."
Baron's eyes showed empathy. "Understood," he said with a nod." And duly noted Sgt. Your dismissed."
