Chapter 232: Prelude
Monday, January 23rd, Evening
From his seat in the commander's copula, Tarheel looked into the eastern sky. There's a deep chill in the air; it's winter after all. There's even a few random patches of snow scattered around their fueling point. What held Tarheel's attention the most is the red sky.
A friend of Tarheel's told him once, "Red sky by night sailor's delight. Red sky by morning sailor takes warning." Tarheel thought his friend could be a bit cracked sometimes. Even though his tank, D13 Damageplan, and most of the tanks, used nautical terms, they weren't sailors. Since coming here, Tarheel has seen many red sunrises and sunsets, but there has been no consistency in which one was a good omen or a bad omen.
"What'cha looking at, Tarheel?" Letty asked, popping her head out of the loader's hatch.
"The sunset," Tarheel said.
Letty turned to face east. She nodded and turned back to Tarheel. "It's a beautiful sunset," she said.
"Yeah, and not our last one this week," Tarheel said.
"I wonder why they want us out all week?" Letty asked.
"Well, it might be because of those explosions last week," Tarheel said, "On the other hand…"
"Our's is not to reason why…" Letty said.
Tarheel chuckles, "Into the valley of death they rode," he said.
Letty nodded, "Sometimes, I wonder what they thought before they charged," Letty said.
"Probably scared shitless," Tarheel said and started to hum a few bars of The Trooper by Iron Maiden.
"Do you ever wonder how you would react when you're under fire?" Letty asked.
"No," Tarheel said.
"Why?" Letty asked.
"Just something I don't want to obsess with," Tarheel said.
Letty nodded and reached down into the turret. "The playlist ended," she said.
Tarheel nodded, "Who's next?" he asked.
"I think it's Palmer," Letty said.
Tarheel nodded and looked out to the center of their circle. "I wonder what they're feeding us tonight?" he asked.
"Hopefully, something good," Letty said.
"That's what I miss, other than my family, the most, the food," Tarheel said.
Letty nodded, "At least we'll be home for summer, and there are a few places I want to hit up when I get back. I'll probably put on twenty to thirty pounds," she said, jokingly.
Tarheel nodded, "I just want to hold my wife in my arms, hug my daughter, and read my son to bed," he said.
Letty nodded, "There's one upside to being out here at night," she said.
"That's?" Tarheel asked.
"All the stars," Letty said, "When I stretch out, I just look up for what seems like forever, taking it all in."
Tarheel nodded, "I've done that sometimes," he said.
"What do you do back in the real world?" Letty asked.
"I never told you?" Tarheel asked.
"No, you haven't," Letty said.
"I'm a failure," Tarheel joked, "I had to ask my parents for a job. How about you?"
"Not much, really," Letty said, "I was trying to make my way through life and my studies."
"Is that's why you joined up, college money?" Tarheel asked.
"Yeah, couldn't afford school, and couldn't get enough scholarships," Letty said.
Tarheel nodded, "Yeah, I figured," he said.
"You've always been a quiet one; why?" Letty asked.
"I'm letting my actions speak for me, plus, my wife is usually the center of attention, so I let her shine," Tarheel said.
Letty nodded, "What's with the scar on your neck?" she asked.
Tarheel reached back with one hand and touched the back of his neck. A gloved hand traced a patch of flesh along the base of his neck and upper back. Removing his hand, he shrugged, "Oh that, just some surgery," he said.
Letty nodded, "Okay, we do have a badass name for the tank, though," she said.
Tarheel nodded, "That we do," he said.
"What is a damage plan? I've never heard of the name or term before," Letty said.
"It's a name of a heavy metal band that was formed by the Abbott Brothers," Tarheel said
"I wonder why I've never heard of them," Letty said.
"They were a short-lived group, a good band, but short-lived," Tarheel said.
"I wonder why?" Letty asked.
"One of the founders, and the guitarist, Dimebag Darrell Abbott, was murdered on stage during a concert," Tarheel said.
"What?" Letty asked.
"They're back, it's our turn for chow," Tarheel said.
Sergeant Garrison and Palmer climbed up onto the turret. Tarheel climbed out of the commander's copula and removed the CVC, replacing it with his helmet. Garrison replaced Tarheel in the copula. Palmer and Letty did the same thing in the loader's hatch.
"What's the chow tonight, Sergeant?" Tarheel asked.
"A half-inch steak, cooked to order, al a carte sides, and your choice of beverage," Garrison said.
Tarheel checked his M4, "I doubt it, Sergeant," he said.
"It's the usual fare," Garrison said.
Tarheel shrugged and slid off the turret. Letty followed as they walked over to the chow line. Letty caught up to Tarheel, both of them casually carrying their M4s.
"Why did the Sergeant go for chow when you usually go first?" Letty asked.
"I wanted to hang back," Tarheel said, "And take in the sunset."
"Oh, okay. So, who came up with the name damage plan?" Letty asked.
Tarheel shrugged, "I think Sergeant Garrison suggested it," he said, "Why do you ask?"
"I was always curious. Since y'all had the name before I joined the crew," Letty said.
Tarheel nodded, "That's right, you replaced Bjorn," he said.
"His name is Owens. Why do you call him Bjorn?" Letty asked.
"He looks like that guy Bjorn from Vikings," Tarheel said.
"Oh, why do you call me Letty?" she asked.
"You drive," Tarheel said.
"So, back to the tank name; it just seems like a morbid name, especially now," Letty said.
Tarheel shrugged, "We're in a morbid business," he said.
"Is this that sword and shield stuff that Sergeant Garrison is fond of saying?" Letty asked.
"There was a line in a movie about an army unit in the Vietnam era, and it said, they had a card printed saying killing is our business and business is good. That sums it up if things kick-off," Tarheel said, not telling her the rest of the line was "well here in the Old Guard burying is our business and its better."
Letty shrugged as they got in line. Tarheel looked around and greeted a few members of the other tank crews. Once he finished, he got in line and waited for his turn.
"On six-strong shoulders, I will sway/Lay me down, gently down/Till six feet under I'll be laid/ along the old Lychway," Tarheel sang to himself.
Letty just shook her head.
