Chapter 6: Victory Forge Day Three
Dawn was breaking over the horizon casting a pink glow across the sky. Haruka did her best to ignore the small misquotes which were making a meal out of her hands as she leaned into the corner of her fox hole, scanning the tree line before her. Twice a day, sunrise and sunset, they went to 100 security. Everyone was in a foxhole or on their bellies with rifles focused on the perimeter. Everyone was ready and waiting.
It looked as though things were going to be quiet, as they were the pervious morning. Teal eyes caught movement just outside Haruka's field of vision and she risked a glance toward her right, what she saw though made her eyes widen. Drill Sergeant Stonewall held a CS canister, better known as tear gas. As she took a second look he was sending it arching into the sky just over her own foxhole.
"Gas, gas, gas!" She yelled out of instinct, DeMarco repeating her as they ducked slightly into the foxhole. Haruka quickly pulled her mask from the pouch on her hip, placing it against her face and pulling the straps over her hair with practiced speed. In moments the hood was safely in place and she was looking down her M-16's sight through the goggles of the protective gas mask. A glance to her left showed that DeMarco also had her mask on, that amazed Haruka as her platoon mate had failed every test they'd had regarding quickly donning the masks.
"MOP gear now." Someone ordered behind them and the two soon found themselves pulling on the bulky outer suits, gloves and rubber boots which were to protect them from chemical attacks. DeMarco didn't seem to be at ease in the suit, and to be honest neither was Haruka. The mask itself pressed tightly against the wearer's face and if you weren't carefully you could fog the goggles and blind yourself. One of their platoon mates had nearly gone into a panic attack the first time they donned the masks.
"Drill Sergeant is coming this way." DeMarco whispered from her left, leaning against the other corner of the foxhole. "You don't think they'd do mail call out here do you?"
"I don't know, I think they do in a real combat zone though." Haruka muttered back just as the Drill Sergeant started to pass them. For a moment Haruka thought she'd been heard, as the drill sergeant turned back to their whole and regarded them.
"Ten'ou, DeMarco! Is that you?" She snapped as she peered at them and the two looked toward her but kept their rifles trained toward the tree line. "Get out of that hole and come with me."
With out another word she turned and started off as they scrambled out of the five foot deep hole. Haruka watched DeMarco, the other private seemed hyper about whatever duty they'd just been chosen for. It was, to Haruka anyway, both funny and sad how DeMarco hid disappointment at finding they'd been chosen for food detail. While this wasn't actually an official name for any duty, someone did have to pass out the MREs.
"Meals Ready to Eat, ah how I love them!" Private King said as Haruka handed him a random large brown package. He smiled and winked at DeMarco. "Can I talk you out of an extra for your old buddy, De?"
"You'll find a way to get extra anyhow, here you go." DeMarco handed him a second one and the young man's face lit up. He dug in as the two continued about the circular battle line with their brown boxes full of MREs. DeMarco sighed as they passed out the MREs, most people not greeting the food with quite the eager joy that King had. "We only have today and half of tomorrow left, I want a chance to do something."
"Not counting handing out food and digging holes right?" Haruka questioned with a smile she hoped would at least cheer the normally hyper private.
"Right." DeMarco wasn't the one to answer though and they nearly dropped the boxes they were carrying only to find their platoon guide standing behind them. She grinned in a not quite friendly manner at the two and grabbed an MRE. "Since you two are some of my favorites, I'll pick you then. Go straight to see Drill Sergeant Stonewall after you finish with this."
"We're not her favorites." DeMarco muttered as they watched the PG walk away.
"I think that's the point, DeMarco."
DeMarco did however get her wish, as they found out not long later. They knelt along with thirteen or so more privates and listened to DS Stonewall as he described how they were going to perform a mock raid on an "enemy" entrenchment. The enemy had dug in at the top of a hill with about one squad; they were going to charge the hill with their own squad. Sounds simple, but wasn't as simple as it sounded.
Three privates were assigned to check the area for bobby traps once they reached the top of the hill, they were given a crash course to refresh their memories. Two were assigned to swept foxholes and prisoners or bodies, once declared safe, for documents or other import things they might posses. Two were given a radio and instructed again on how to properly call in the report. The remaining eight or so, including Haruka and DeMarco, were assigned to secure the area and split into a fore and rear unit. Haruka landed in the front, due to her run speed.
They marched quietly in a large circle, bringing them to with in eyesight of the hill in question. DS Stonewall ordered them to low crawl, pulling their bodies across the ground with their heads down and rifles dragging beside them. They weren't far, nearly at the edge of the hill, when the first shot rang out. A single order yelled by Stonewall had all the privates on their feet and running toward the nearest trees. One private straggled and was told to lie down, having been declared dead. They charged the hill, running to take shelter behind trees, firing cover for the next few soldiers to run up.
Cresting the hill they found four foxholes and roughly twelve privates from another company. The others wore there tops inside out to represent an enemy uniform and several were lying in positions which suggested they'd been hit by the cover fire. Everyone went quickly about there own jobs, Haruka being left to guard the single "live" prisoner they managed to take. Just as they were searching the last foxhole they turned a male over and found a dummy grenade clipped to his shirt.
"Boom." The young man said in an amused voice. Stonewall yelled and everyone in a ten foot radius, Haruka and her prisoner included, hit the floor and played dead. After a while Stonewall prodded those declared dead with his boot and one by one ordered them down the other side of the hill. Haruka found DeMarco at the bottom; the brown haired young woman grinned happily as they took up kneeling positions and waited. The squad leader radioed in his report, received a confirmation, and they were moving out again.
"When you get back privates, take turns packing your gear and filling in your foxholes." Stonewall announced in a brisk manner. He smiled in a friendly manner but there was an odd glint in his eyes. "We'll be heading back tonight, nine miles to home privates."
It wasn't until they were carrying their duffle bags back to the two ton truck that Haruka noticed the first signs of a problem with DeMarco. As she watched she noticed that the other private seemed to be bouncing on her feet, yet instead of seeming happy or hyper she almost seemed to be dreading each step. Again Haruka thought of the other's private's usual attitude, bouncing off the walls one moment and in the next falling into a quiet concentration on whatever she was doing.
"Something wrong DeMarco?" She asked after they placed their bags in the truck and retrieved there ruc sacks. Brown eyes snapped toward the blonde and DeMarco seemed surprised by the question.
"Nothing important."
"What's not important?"
"Just some blisters, nothing big."
"On which foot." Haruka said, stopping the other young woman before they reached the platoon's formation area.
"Both, but it'll be fine really." DeMarco looked up as another young woman walked over. Private Reed stopped in front of them and looked between the two, then focused on her battle buddy with questioning eyes. DeMarco looked down at all the focus now placed on her. "I'll be fine."
"Maybe you should get the medic to take a look at those blisters before they leave." Haruka suggested but DeMarco shook her head with a determined look.
"Oh not this again." Reed sighed and gave DeMarco an exasperated look. "DeMarco, don't you think you should be over your fear of doctors by now?"
"I am not afraid of doctors; I just don't like seeing them unless I need to." DeMarco defended herself and received another look from her battle buddy and Haruka. A drill sergeant yelled at the three and Reed jumped.
"Fine, you win for now. If we don't fall in they're probably going to have our heads." Reed said as she turned to lead the way. As they fell in with the others Haruka found her self standing again across from Private Tanner, her own buddy, and in front of DeMarco.
"Move out!" Stonewall yelled and they began to march forward at a good pace. Starting a nine mile march wasn't hard though, the true test of course was to finish said march. The wore on, they stopped a few times for water but for the most part the march pressed on at a quick pace. DeMarco seemed to be growing more pained with each half mile. Soon Haruka found that the Platoon Guide was yelling at DeMarco during a water break for falling back into the next platoon. One of the male privates commented that DeMarco was in pain, only to be glared at.
"Do I need to put you on the truck, private?" Drill Sergeant Stonewall asked in what sounded like concern.
"No Drill Sergeant." DeMarco replied instantly, though a little strain leaked through her voice. She was told to take a spot in front of Haruka this time. As they started moving again teal eyes carefully watched as DeMarco tried to force herself not to limp. She began to slow down, biting her lip to keep from making some sort of sound. As she came even with Haruka the blonde grabbed her arm and kept her even.
"What's wrong?" Haruka asked, looking at DeMarco and not noticing how Drill Sergeant Beck snuck up on the two.
"It feels like my feet are bleeding." DeMarco said, this time she couldn't hide the strain in her voice. Tanner was looking at the two with concern even as Beck made himself known.
"What makes you think that private?" He asked in a stern voice.
"It just feels like it, Drill Sergeant." DeMarco bit her lip again, something having made the pain momentarily worse. She shook it off and spoke again. "My feet feel wet all over and they're burning where it feels worst."
"Hot spots private, they'll be blisters by morning." Beck said as he shot them a look that showed he didn't want to hear anymore about it as he started away. "Keep your feet moving and this will be done before you know it."
"Don't worry; the company is twelve miles away so the last three we get a few buses." They looked up and found it was the assistant platoon guide speaking to them. He was a tall man with a build that tended to make people assume he was tough, in all honesty though he was one of the nicest people in the platoon. "Once we get there you'll be able to rest your feet."
DeMarco only nodded and seemed to double her efforts to stay in step. Haruka became more concerned, as did Tanner and Reed, as the march continued. The sun set behind the trees and still they marched. They found out at a stop that the company commander had decided to have them march the last three miles, saying they were making such good time. DeMarco was looking worse with each step now, the APG having actually taken hold of her Load Carrying Equipment and forced her to keep pace at least twice now. She fell back a number of times, only to be brought all the way to the front by a Drill Sergeant each time.
As they reached a small hill DeMarco was no longer able to keep at least some pained sounds from escaping her. Haruka, Reed and Tanner all but begged Drill Sergeant Beck to pull the young woman from the march, but were told there was only a mile left now and she'd be forced to repeat the entire thing. So they all, meaning the whole platoon, did their best to keep the young woman on her feet. They kept telling her not much was left, pulled her along if they had too. When the lights of the company area came into view and they came back onto a paved road in sight of the barracks a halt was called. They were formed up and Reed, Tanner, Haruka and DeMarco were placed at the front of each squad.
"Listen to me DeMarco, this is almost over." Beck all but growled quietly to the young woman as they watched other companies unloading from buses. "We are going to march past the other companies and back to the barracks, and you aren't going to embarrass your platoon. I want you to suck it up, I don't want to hear a sound out of you and you better not dare fall behind. Is that clear?"
DeMarco nodded and the man left her alone to speak with the other drill sergeants. Haruka was in the next squad and glanced at the young woman, watching as DeMarco washed all pain from her face. She schooled her appearance into a look which betrayed no emotion but in her brown eyes you could see it all. In the young woman's eyes were fatigue, pain and oddly determination. Haruka glanced to her right instead and received a nod from Reed, the other woman seeming to somehow understand what her strange battle buddy was up to. Haruka had the feeling that DeMarco was biting her own tongue to keep from saying or doing anything wrong.
They started forward and DeMarco acted as if nothing was out of the normal. She kept in step; eyes forward and only sparing a glance to her right to make sure the others were still in place. They'd put DeMarco at the pace point so that everyone was guiding off the young woman. They marched past the other companies with out incident, finally passing into their own company area and falling in. As they were hidden from sight of the other companies they saw DeMarco's mask start to break. They were ordered to take off their helmets and empty their pockets into them. A Drill Sergeant came around, making sure no one had smuggled empty shells or unused blanks back with them.
"DeMarco!" Beck called from the doorway of their barracks. "Grab a battle buddy and get in here."
DeMarco glanced back as she picked up her helmet, finding Reed hadn't been checked yet. Haruka stepped over and followed the other soldier back to the bay room. Drill Sergeant Beck placed a folding chair down and ordered the private to sit and removed her boots. As she did Haruka caught on that the thick black wool socks they all wore were soaked through. A moment later she was told to remove those as well. DeMarco pulled off the first sock and Haruka felt her own stomach lurch. The second was no better and even Beck winced as he looked at how DeMarco's feet were covered in blood.
"Go rinse your feet off in the shower, put on some clean socks and your running shoes." He said with a look toward the door. "After that stow your gear and get back outside."
DeMarco stood and grabbed her boots as he left. She walked off toward the back of the bay, passing through a doorway into the latrine, then another into the actual shower room. She handed her boots back to Haruka and the blonde placed them where they wouldn't be hit by the spray. She turned back just as DeMarco turned on the shower, standing where the spray only caught her feet. In a split second DeMarco made another pained sound and fell backward. Haruka was just able to catch her before she hit the ground.
"DeMarco, are you alright?" Reed said, rushing into the shower still in full battle rattle with Tanner a moment behind. DeMarco winced as Haruka helped her back onto her feet and nodded mutely. Reed glanced at the young woman's feet and shook her head. She came over as Haruka turned the water back off, Reed placing her battle's arm over her shoulders. "Let's go get your feet dried off."
That night a ceremony was held for the privates, recognizing them as soldiers. They stood in a field as officers spoke, drill sergeants gave them cards to place on their tags, and they heard the regiment's history. Once it was over they were returned to the barracks where they were allowed showers and sleep. Reed, remembering earlier events, advised DeMarco to wear socks and just throw them in the drier after. Exhausted, the entire platoon was out as soon as they could climb into their bunks.
AN
Sorry guys, I have been really tied up recently. Also I am sorry to be rushing through these Basic training chapters but I may be leaving on the twelfth of December, giving me less than a month to finish this story. Now, I'm off to spell check this so it will be ready to post for Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
Oh, and I am Thankful for my reviewers over the past year. You folks are great and have been a huge help.