objective.
“Objective” was fancy military speak for a given destination where the killing was to take place. One reached an objective via movement. And as Paul had thought so often,
movement
was a word in the military that guaranteed something painful awaited.
In theory, First and Second Companies would move out at 0200 on foot. First Company would lead and split off from Second Company at a little bridge over the Baradna River. Then First Company would encircle the village to the east, and Second Company would encircle the village to the west. The plan called for Pashto Khel to be enveloped by 0500, with the attack at dawn.
Bashir spotted Paul. He said, “My friend, Lieutenant Thompson, how are you feeling today? Have you eaten?” Always the pleasantries first with these guys, Paul thought. It was time for him to put his game face on.
“Yes, Captain Bashir, my friend, blessings and peace upon you. We will hunt well today, God willing.” It was always best to put a feral air on when dealing with Pashtuns—it had been so since time out of mind. Whether the Pashtun was earthborn or otherwise, some things never changed.
In a strange way, Paul admired and respected Bashir. Bashir had been fighting both the forces and other tribes on Juneau for thirty years. He picked sides as the mood took him. Insurgencies made for strange bedfellows; Bashir really hated this group of dissidents, and he viewed Second Company as his owntribal fiefdom. The Juneau Army loved to have force advisors present; they brought capabilities to the fight that indigenous forces just didn’t have. Bashir touched on this with his next words.
“The colonel—he has moved to his position?” Bashir obviously wanted to hear a yes. With the colonel overlooking Pashto Khel, Second Company would not only have micro coverage, but also the use of the colonel’s onboard set of weapons in his suit. Paul was able to answer him in the affirmative. Bashir relaxed visibly. Looking around, Paul saw that “his” company, the Second, had shaken itself out and was ready to move toward battle.
Just to get a perspective on what the Juneau soldiers were seeing, Paul clicked off his halo’s night vision. His view field became shockingly dark, with only the vague shapes of soldiers lining up in order of march. Satisfied, Paul reselected night vision, and he could see his own feet again. His view clock said 0205.
As if on cue, a series of muted commands went through the ranks, and First and Second Companies began to move.
Bashir spoke a little more with his platoon leaders and looked over at Paul, as if to ask whether Paul had the courage to accompany his men. Paul started to walk.
Paul looked ahead at First Company’s column. He looked for Green, the advisor team’s intel guy and the ad-hoc replacement for Mighty Mike and Stork, the medic, the usual advisor duo for First Company. Paul couldn’t see him, so he called up a micro view of the column and looked for Green’s icon. With an assist from his halo, Paul spotted him, 243 meters ahead, on the other side of the snaking column. Green was accompanying Freidag, one of First Company’s platoon leaders.
Paul was a little worried about Green. He had been brought out to Firebase Atarab via ground-car only the day before yesterday as a replacement for Mighty Mike, and this was Green’s first basic dismounted movement, unarmored. It could be a little scary moving out with the locals outside of your cocoon. Paulshould know: he had done it many times. Well, thought Paul, Green is getting a righteous baptism today—no doubt about it. As the intel guy, Green just hadn’t had as many cracks at this as Paul had had. Paul hoped Green wouldn’t start developing the shakes as well. He wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Speaking of a case of the shakes, Paul was good to go for the moment. Strangely, when the action started, the shakes quit. Paul wondered why that was, but the fact remained.
Paul was finally moving.
“Objective” was fancy military speak for a given destination where the killing was to take place. One reached an objective via movement. And as Paul had thought so often,
movement
was a word in the military that guaranteed something painful awaited.
In theory, First and Second Companies would move out at 0200 on foot. First Company would lead and split off from Second Company at a little bridge over the Baradna River. Then First Company would encircle the village to the east, and Second Company would encircle the village to the west. The plan called for Pashto Khel to be enveloped by 0500, with the attack at dawn.
Bashir spotted Paul. He said, “My friend, Lieutenant Thompson, how are you feeling today? Have you eaten?” Always the pleasantries first with these guys, Paul thought. It was time for him to put his game face on.
“Yes, Captain Bashir, my friend, blessings and peace upon you. We will hunt well today, God willing.” It was always best to put a feral air on when dealing with Pashtuns—it had been so since time out of mind. Whether the Pashtun was earthborn or otherwise, some things never changed.
In a strange way, Paul admired and respected Bashir. Bashir had been fighting both the forces and other tribes on Juneau for thirty years. He picked sides as the mood took him. Insurgencies made for strange bedfellows; Bashir really hated this group of dissidents, and he viewed Second Company as his owntribal fiefdom. The Juneau Army loved to have force advisors present; they brought capabilities to the fight that indigenous forces just didn’t have. Bashir touched on this with his next words.
“The colonel—he has moved to his position?” Bashir obviously wanted to hear a yes. With the colonel overlooking Pashto Khel, Second Company would not only have micro coverage, but also the use of the colonel’s onboard set of weapons in his suit. Paul was able to answer him in the affirmative. Bashir relaxed visibly. Looking around, Paul saw that “his” company, the Second, had shaken itself out and was ready to move toward battle.
Just to get a perspective on what the Juneau soldiers were seeing, Paul clicked off his halo’s night vision. His view field became shockingly dark, with only the vague shapes of soldiers lining up in order of march. Satisfied, Paul reselected night vision, and he could see his own feet again. His view clock said 0205.
As if on cue, a series of muted commands went through the ranks, and First and Second Companies began to move.
Bashir spoke a little more with his platoon leaders and looked over at Paul, as if to ask whether Paul had the courage to accompany his men. Paul started to walk.
Paul looked ahead at First Company’s column. He looked for Green, the advisor team’s intel guy and the ad-hoc replacement for Mighty Mike and Stork, the medic, the usual advisor duo for First Company. Paul couldn’t see him, so he called up a micro view of the column and looked for Green’s icon. With an assist from his halo, Paul spotted him, 243 meters ahead, on the other side of the snaking column. Green was accompanying Freidag, one of First Company’s platoon leaders.
Paul was a little worried about Green. He had been brought out to Firebase Atarab via ground-car only the day before yesterday as a replacement for Mighty Mike, and this was Green’s first basic dismounted movement, unarmored. It could be a little scary moving out with the locals outside of your cocoon. Paulshould know: he had done it many times. Well, thought Paul, Green is getting a righteous baptism today—no doubt about it. As the intel guy, Green just hadn’t had as many cracks at this as Paul had had. Paul hoped Green wouldn’t start developing the shakes as well. He wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Speaking of a case of the shakes, Paul was good to go for the moment. Strangely, when the action started, the shakes quit. Paul wondered why that was, but the fact remained.
Paul was finally moving.
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