Author's note: Finally I return to this story. I took a break from it while writing TMD because of the differences in the two stories. The problem with this is that I had another chapter written, but it was on the other computer that I can't retrieve things from. (Sighs a bit) Also, I know I'd said there'd be three BCT chapters, but most likely this will be the last one. I am on a bit of a time constraint to finish this story and haven't even gotten to what I think of as the real plot.
Chapter 5: Victory Forge day one
Haruka again adjusted her grip on her rifle, feeling the somehow comforting weight of her ruck sack as she moved her feet at a steady pace. A glance forward and to her left reassured her that her battle buddy was still in place in the staggered formation. A long dirt road stretched for an unknown distance before them, trees the diameter of a baseball reached up to the sky along the roadside and covered their views. The entire company, two hundred or more privates, were in full "battle rattle" with their rifles, Kevlar helmets, camouflage face paint, L.C.E.s, and three canteens as they marched along the dust road. The young blonde wasn't sure how long they'd been marching, only that the sun which hadn't yet peaked over the horizon was nearing the center of the sky.
The signal was given to halt and the privates took to the sides of the road, taking a knee and aiming outward into the woods. Haruka scanned the area with her teal eyes until the water truck stopped next to her. She glanced to her right and there was DeMarco pulling out two canteens from their belt pouches. She glanced at Haruka with deep brown eyes and the blonde wordlessly removed and tossed her an empty canteen. DeMarco grinned and slung her rifle before walking off to refill the green plastic containers.
Nothing moved in the bushes before them, nothing large anyway. The sounds of birds and small animals could be made out at a distance, crickets chirped now and then and the trees gave the air a damp, humid feel. Haruka felt the cool, moist dirt under her knee and listened as DeMarco returned, depositing a now full canteen before the blonde. Haruka waited until DeMarco took up watching the perimeter and took the chance to take a drink from the canteen. She'd barely managed a sip when a loud gun shot broke the silence, the distinct sound of an M-16 putting them all on guard and sending Drill sergeants into a frenzy to find the source. Everyone dropped to their bellies, rifles still trained on the woods and waited for orders.
"Who fired that?" One drill sergeant growled to himself as he passed, glancing once at the two but continuing on. Haruka and DeMarco focused on the tree line even as drill sergeants and officers jogged up and down the rows.
"Misfire! Misfire!" A voice crackled over a near by radio and caused the blonde to glance up, catching sight of the company Chaplin standing not far behind them. He smiled kindly as the radio crackled again. "Private Vergas had a 'mishap' with his rifle. We're clear, get them up and let's move."
"That was interesting." Chaplin Peters replied as Haruka and DeMarco arose along with the others. They were given the hand signal and again started to march toward an unknown location ahead. Peters marched along the center of the formation with a pack as large as any of the private's own and his Kevlar bearing captain's bars. He continued to smile as he regarded the young blonde next to him. "Are you worried about Victory Forge?"
"A little, sir." Haruka replied honestly and DeMarco nodded as well as she eyed the trees to their right. Haruka thought for a moment before she spoke again. "I'm not sure what to expect."
"Rain private!" Barked Drill Sergeant Kelly as he caught up on the Chaplin's left. Peters smiled as Kelly glared at the two privates in the manner a stern parent would. "It always rains at Victory Forge, at least one day out of every trip. I can't wait to see you grunts dealing with the mud from inside a foxhole."
"I wouldn't worry too much." Chaplin Peters said to the two as Kelly seemed to be daydreaming as they marched. "Just use what they've taught you and you'll be fine."
"Yes, let's see how well you two remember." Kelly said as he eyed Haruka in particular. "Just remember Ten'ou, you may be my top runner but that isn't going to help you much for the next three days."
"Yes, drill sergeant." Haruka replied as the two men started further up the staggered formation. DeMarco was grinned behind Haruka's back, the standard distance back that made private conversation between the two impossible. Somehow, Haruka knew with out looking, that her odd platoon mate was loving every minute of this.
The march took until roughly 1200 hours, turning on various small roads and pausing for water or "latrine" visits. At each stop the left was the female latrine, the right trees were the male latrine. Haruka was glad when they arrived at the forge and she found out they had portable latrines. Haruka could use the tree line if need be, but hadn't looking forward to it. The forge was a number of hills and a ridge line inside a somewhat dense wooded area. Three companies were using it on this given Field Training Exercise but Haruka couldn't make out any sign of the others.
"Alright, now I'll assign you a space and you start digging your foxholes, clear?" DS Kelly asked as he eyed them all.
"Yes, drill sergeant!" Came the instant reply and he shook his head at them.
"So, you dig first or I dig first?" DeMarco asked as they heard the order for fifty percent security.
"I'll dig." Haruka said as she took off her Kevlar helmet and grabbed her e-tool from her ruck sack after she'd placed it on the ground. Taking the e-tool, a small black folding shovel, the blonde drew the outline of where she needed to dig, and then replaced her Kevlar. Dust covered the edges of the camouflage cloth on her helmet from being used to measure, but she ignored it and began to dig.
It was easily an hour later when two male privates walked up to the small and shallow start of a foxhole carrying a large shovel and their own rifles. Haruka looked up as one playfully tapped her helmet.
"Drill Sergeant Stonewall wants you." He said and pointed toward an area where the trees were just a little thicker. "He should be over there some where. Don't worry about the foxhole; we'll dig it out for you two."
"Thanks." Haruka hopped out of the hole and set down her shovel, picking up her rifle instead and fastening the Kevlar helmet under her chin. She walked across a small dirt path, into a clump of trees and found another private standing next to some odd versions of shelter half tents. He grinned at her.
"Hey Ten'ou, any clue what we're doing here?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, King." Haruka turned toward a sound as she finished speaking. Out of the trees came two more males and another young woman. Before a new round of greetings and questions could start though a tall dark skinned Drill Sergeant emerged from the opposite side of the trees. They all snapped to parade rest and Drill Sergeant Stonewall smiled.
"Here they are Beck." He called and soon an older white Drill Sergeant emerged from the trees as well. He eyed them in his somewhat faded battle dress uniform, and Haruka caught sight again of the battle patch on his shoulder. If she were a civilian she'd never know, but that patch meant he'd seen combat as part of the Airborne Rangers.
"Looks like everyone's here." Beck muttered than waved them to follow him. "We're going for a hike, no one get lost."
They disappeared into the denser trees which surrounded their encampment, walking in a sort of wedge formation and creeping as quietly as they could over the leaves and twigs. Each held rifles ready as they silently followed. Drill Sergeant Beck had finally told them they were on a patrol of the area, so they were all watching for anything beside themselves.
The sun set and the trees were silent, though it seemed as if they were too silent. No crickets' chirped, no small woodland animals, nothing besides there own steps and breathing. Beck held up a closed fist and they halted. No one spoke as all eyes scanned the terrain about them. Suddenly a sort of fizzling was heard and a brilliant light lit the night sky above. Training took over and every one closed one eye and looked toward the ground, listening for anything nearby.
"Move!" Drill Sergeant Beck bellowed and they took off through the trees in the direction he'd pointed. They ran, full "battle rattle" suddenly making since as their equipment clicked and clinked together and their rifles rattled. Haruka grabbed another private's arm as she began to fall back and pulled her along until they emerged back into the same place they'd left. Drill Sergeant Stonewall grinned at them and told them all to take a knee.
"Not bad privates, not bad." He said as Drill Sergeant Beck emerged from the trees behind them. The older man seemed to be satisfied with the exercise. "Head back to your foxholes and get you're shelter halfs set up. Make sure you get some rest because someone will come to wake you when it's time for your guard shift."
As Haruka reached her foxhole she was happily surprised to find the small two person tent already set up. She crawled inside and raised a barely visible eyebrow at DeMarco who was stretched out on top of her sleeping bag using her Kevlar helmet as a pillow. DeMarco was in her combat boots, the wrists of her uniform cinched tight under leather work gloves, her uniform buttoned all the way up rather than leaving the last undone as per regulation and Haruka could make out red ear plugs just inside her ears.
"What are you doing?" Haruka asked as she pulled off her own boots and socks. The blonde took a bottle of foot powder DeMarco offered and nodded her thanks. She ditched her Load Carrying Equipment to her left, between the two women and pulled off her top shirt.
"Sleeping, I'm not gonna make it easy for the bugs to get to me." DeMarco responded as if it were the easiest thing in the world. She cinched her rifles shoulder strap around her wrist, Haruka did the same and they both settled back down. After a few moments of silence in the tent DeMarco spoke again. "Hey Ten'ou, is your family going to come see you graduate?"
"No, the only ones around are my grandparents and it's a bit too long of a trip for them." Haruka sighed as she thought back a bit on the year or so she'd lived with them. She looked at DeMarco. "What about yours?"
"No, most of them I think are a bit glad I'm gone." DeMarco's tone was downcast for the first time Haruka could recall. It wasn't that the young woman was always cheerful, more that she always kept a hyper, ready for anything especially a good joke, type of air about her. The dark haired soldier grinned again, seeming to not want to stay in the down cast mode and stared at the ceiling. "Just two more days, and then we're done. Not counting recovery."
"Yeah, almost there DeMarco."
AN:
I never really thought I'd be recalling this stuff to use in a fan fiction… I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will do my best to get the entire chapter out before I disappear, but I do only have a month. Wish me luck.