Chapter 19
The Meuse-Argonne entrenchments stretched through the forest; both American and German lines were ever vigilant for attack from the other side. It was along the American side that a singular advanced position was secured; it stood closer to the German lines than anywhere else. The proximity achieved would be of great concern to the enemy. Here the vigilance would have to be intense on both sides.
Tarzan's enquiries had led him here, in the American advance trench. He was ushered into the command bunker of Captain Ulysses Paxton. The officer was newly promoted and fatigued by his increased responsibilities, but when he met the jungle man dressed in safari clothes his face lit up. Both Tarzan and Ulysses felt like they were long lost brothers now reunited.
After an extended handshake Ulysses said. "You have walked into a war my friend. If you look into the night sky you can see Mars, the God of War staring down at us."
"Tarzan not here to fight war. Just to see son."
"You mean Private Jack Clayton? Yes he is serving in this trench. I will have Lt. James Gatz take you to him."
The junior officer ushered Tarzan out of the bunker and into the trench.
"It's a pity your not here to fight Old Sport. This place is the most likely in the whole front to get one." Commented Gatz.
The trench was deep; twice the height of a man. Timber walls topped with sandbags kept the earth out. Ladders were seen frequently as well as periscopes employed by soldiers on watch. Many soldiers inhabited this entrenchment: some just stood or sat waiting for the call to action. Pastimes included playing cards, smoking or just chatter. Tarzan could tell that they were all on edge because of their proximity to the enemy lines.
Gatz approached a doughboy called Eddie Batlett. The soldier stood to attention but was promptly told to be at ease.
"Where is Jack Clayton?" Enquired Gatz.
"Oh! Korak." Said Eddie. "He's on watch at the west extremity."
"Well, have him relieved and brought here."
"Right." Acknowledged Eddie. He turned to a nearby soldier demonstrating his skill with Morse code by tapping three note sequences onto a strong box.
"Private Joe Bonham. You are to relieve Jack Clayton immediately and send him back here."
The soldier tapped two sequences onto the box. Gatz recognised the first letter as O, so confidently interpreted the coded tapping as "OK". Joe Bonham moved the western part of the trench.
Eddie Bartlett turned to Greystoke. "So if you're Korak's father, you must be Tarzan of the Apes. Your fine musculature and that knife in your scabbard; Yeah you are him. We've all read about you."
Tarzan did not know how to answer, before he could Eddie blared out an announcement.
Hey everybody, this is Tarzan, the man raised by apes and then becomes a Lord among all creatures of the African Jungle."
Tarzan now felt uncomfortable among these brash Americans. Several got up off their seats or snapped out of their standing delerium to approach the Jungle Lord. A cheery fellow with a not so cheery friend were first to greet him. Ned Trimble smilingly shook Tarzan's hand, the doughboy seemed to have all the happiness of someone recently married. His gloomy friend, Aron Trask, also shook hands despite being in a perpetual state of depression. It appears Ned's attempts to cheer him up weren't taking.
NCO Quirt was the next to approach Tarzan, he was a well traveled marine Seargent temporarily assigned to lead a rogue platoon of Harlem Hellfighters. Two of Quirt's men were motioned to greet the jungle Lord. First of these black soldiers was Mark; Tarzan missed his surname; then there was a reluctant Vernon Waters. Tarzan naively enquired, during handshaking, if they were possibly related to the noble Waziri, a tribe he admired.
Vernon took on a scrutinising stare then replied. "We don't get to know our genealogy back that far. We are what we are now. The history our kin we are to take pride in will be forged here."
Other soldiers mobbed the figure who was their hero; they all read about his adventures in the African Jungle. Lt. Gatz eventually ordered all soldiers to get back to their posts or disperse within the trench.
"Here he comes. Jack Clayton." Said Gatz.
Korak stepped into view. The eye contact lasted only a second before Tarzan and Korak rushed into each others' arms.