Author's pitifully obvious attempt to try and get more reviews: A big thank you everyone who read my story, and a bigger thank you to everyone who reviewed.

Author's pitiful excuses for not updating more frequently: Command and Conquer: Generals (a pretty decent RTS), writer's block, Volunteer work at the local salmon hatchery, summer vacations. . . the list goes on.

Enjoy

February 7, 1969; 2103 local time; 30 miles East of the Vietnam/Cambodia border

The night was dark, clouds obscured the moon and stars. The jungle had an eerie dark blue tint. A lone helicopter flew above the jungle.

Ichigo looked out the open door as sat in the Huey with the rest of his squad. Renji, Urahara, and T-bone sat next to him. Kotsubaki and Kiyone were at the controls and Doorman leaned on his machinegun scanning the night. Across from Ichigo sat Miles, Marty, Jean, and Al (who replaced Gin after his tour expired). His proper name was Allen D. Teppes, he came from Nome, Alaska. He had black hair and a rather pale complexion. He carried an M-16 and a very large pistol, it was a heavily modified Ruger "Blackhawk" revolver capable of firing the powerful .454 Casull (the most powerful handgun bullet at the time).

Ichigo's squad had been sent on a reconisance and harassment mission. Their job was to ambush or call air strikes on any convoy they saw coming into Vietnam from Cambodia. The helicopter reached the LZ and everyone got out. They landed in a field of very tall grass next to the thick jungle. Urahara ordered everyone into the jungle and dig in for the night. The men dug their foxholes in a circular pattern into the slightly damp earth.

"Alright, Ichigo and I will take first watch. Renji, Miles, take next watch. Marty, T-bone, after them. Al, Havoc, take last watch." Urahara said as he indicated each pair of men. "Havoc!" Urahara barked, "No Smoking!" (1)

Jean took a short puff on his cigarette before throwing it on the ground and stomping it out.

Ichigo put down his machinegun's bipod and set it up on the side of his foxhole. Ichigo put on his passive night vision goggles (2) and gazed out of his foxhole onto the green world. Suddenly he saw something out of the corner of his goggles. . .

It was movement in the undergrowth. . .

Ichigo picked his machinegun up and put it down straight in front of the rustling bushes.

The bushes continued to rustle for a few seconds and then stopped. . .

Ichigo scanned the area and saw the small shape of a rat moving out of the bushes. Ichigo sighed, this was going to be a long two hours.

Author's notes:

It was a well known fact that the Viet Cong and NVA used "neutral" Cambodia and Laos as safe havens from the Americans. The Americans were not allowed to pursue them into a "neutral" country. It should be noted that during the later years of the war, President Nixon had ordered secret bombing of communist sanctuaries, and eventually invaded Cambodia itself.

(1): the burning of a cigarette could give away a person's position and presented a tempting target for a sniper.

(2): the night vision goggles used during the Vietnam-era made everything appear different shades of green.