The last weapon was a sniper rifle. The rife had a long and heavy barrel, but a short stock. The shoulder area of the stock was taken up by three shock absorbers. Without them the recoil of the 50-caliber bullet would break your shoulder. Even with the shocks the rife was a beast to fire, but incredibly accurate. Combined with a large scope, the gun was ideal for killing at a distance.
After firearms training came parachuting. They jumped every day, rain or shine. The initial jumps were done with dome chutes. These were similar to the emergency chutes pilots wore. They were safe, but not very controllable. Once they got the hang of the dome chutes, they moved on to the para-wings. Para-wings opened from a backpack just like the dome chutes, but the fully extended chute was shaped like a rectangular wing. This allowed the jumper to “fly” the chute in a controlled glide to a chosen destination.
Mark was starting to get the hang of both the weapons and parachuting. They were at the end of the fourth week of Special Training. From this point on they would be doing mock insertions. That meant parachuting with full gear into remote areas, conducting maneuvers, and then hiking back to base.
* * *
In the mess hall that evening Captain Snyder moved to the front of the room to make announcements. The room became quiet as soon as he faced the class.
“Men, I’m sure you will be disappointed to learn that we will not be having our evening run tonight.”
“YES!!!” The room broke immediately into loud cheers and clapping.
“I can tell you are deeply disappointed. I’ll ask the sergeant to see if he can’t fit in an extra run soon to make of the difference.”
“BOO!!!” More loud noise and pounding on the table. The men could tell he was kidding, but everyone was having a good time.
“Seriously, we are finishing the fourth week of training today. Before moving on to advanced training and practice insertions, we have an important task to do. We are assigning each of you to a four-man squad. From now on you will do all of your training with your squad, and your squad will be deployed as a unit when the time comes for you to serve in battle. Your squad must learn to work as a tightly coupled team. Teamwork is the most critical element of survival and success in battle, but it is an element you must create for yourselves.”
The faces around the room were completely serious now.
“In the past the instructors made selections of each of the team member’s roles in each squad, based on our judgement as to who had the best skills. This time we have decided to do things a bit differently. We will assign each of you to a squad tonight, and then ask that each squad agree on the roles for each of the four members. You have all seen each other in action and know your strengths and weaknesses. You need to make the best possible use of all four men.”
Mark was taking this in. It made sense, but it sure did not sound like the Army.
“I’m going to describe the four roles you must chose from for each squad member. Then we’ll read out the squad roll call, so that each squad can get to work.”
“Role 1 is Communicator. This soldier carries the communications gear, in addition to a pistol and machine gun. The communicator is in charge of navigation and also acts as squad leader. You want someone who can think and make decisions in this role.”
“Role 2 is Safety. This soldier carries the medical supplies and emergency smoke signals for the squad, plus a pistol and machinegun. The Safety backs up the Communicator and looks after the health of the group.”
“Role 3 is Sniper. This soldier should be an excellent shot with the sniper rifle. They should be the eyes and ears for the squad and willing to take point when need be. The Sniper backs up the Specialist, the fourth position.”
“Role 4 is Specialist. This soldier has the most varied tasks, which will change depending on the mission. In most cases the Specialist will be carrying explosives and anti-personnel mines. Depending on the weight carried the Specialist will carry either a pistol or a machine gun, but not both. The Specialist backs up the Safety.”
“Any questions about the four squad positions?”
There were no questions. Everyone was busy taking all this in.
“All right Sergeant, please assemble the squads so that they can make their team member appointments. I expect a summary of all squad selections by 06:00 tomorrow morning.”
“Ten Hut!”
All the men jumped to attention in front of their tables.
“Fall out before me as I call your name. Alpha Squad: Gueterez, Franz, Chang, William. Front and center. Alpha Squad dismissed. Beta Squad …”
The sergeant continued to read out the names until everyone was dismissed. The last squad had an extra man, and was instructed to fill two Specialist positions. All the squads got together in the barracks to figure out their roles.
* * *
Mark found himself with three men that he only slightly knew. All four had been assigned to Foxtrot Squad. Menard was from the Northern Mountains, and had grown up on a farm. Clawson was a city boy like Mark, but large-muscled and incredibly strong. Hirotomi was the quiet, competent type.
Mark wanted to get things going.
“Anyone got a suggestion as to how to best do this?”
After a moment, Clawson spoke up.
“What if each of us says what we think we do best, and we can see if it works out by itself?”
“Sounds good to me,” said Mark. “Everyone agree?”
Nods all around. A moment of silence and the Menard spoke up.
“I’ll start. I think my best skill is with the sniper rife, so I’d chose that first. I grew up hunting, so I’ve got a good feel for rifles, though that 50-caliber is a beast.”
Chuckles of agreement on that last point. Hirotomi spoke next.
“I worked for six months in the infirmary, so I might be good as Safety. I’m not thrilled with the job, but someone has to do it.”
Clawson followed. “I’d like to be Sniper, but I know Mainard is a much better shot. I think Specialist is next best for me. I like blowing things up.”
More chuckles. Mark was last. “Specialist appeals to me too. That would be my first choice, or Communicator second.”
“No one wants the Communicator job, because it is the squad lead, but it is the most important job” Menard said. “We need to chose the Communicator carefully.”
“I have a suggestion,” said Hirotomi. “I think Mark should take Communicator. He demonstrated leadership in the way he got this discussion going, but did not dictate how we made the selections. He has my vote.”
Clawson and Menard nodded, but did not say anything. Mark waited a moment and then spoke.
“I’ll take Communicator, but only under one condition. I want to know that all three of you support me. If you don’t it’s OK, and we’ll pick someone else. Say so now.”
After another pause, Clauson spoke up. “You have my vote Mark. I think all of us could do it, but you are the best choice.”
Menard was the last. “I agree too. I’m also glad to be a member of this squad. We got lucky with who they put together.”
Mark finished up. “Thanks. I don’t know about you guys, but I want to hit the sack early tonight. I’ll let the Sergeant know all four of our positions, and then I’m going to pass out.”
“Me too. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight”
He did not know it then, but Mark Kauf had just taken and passed the most difficult test of military leadership. His men would follow him.
Shahkar Binesh and his wife Kami were in their late 60s. They were sitting on the narrow porch of their cabin, sipping tea. The cabin faced south, with an excellent view of the mountain ranges that were mostly lower than their 8200-foot elevation. The air was cold, but the sun warmed their hands and faces while the tea added warmth from the inside.
“Time to take my mid-day readings,” said Shahkar as he pushed himself out of his chair.
He had gained a few pounds and combination of extra weight and stiff joints made getting
up a slow process. His wife smiled at him.
“Just don’t fall off that peak. I always worry about you.”
“I won’t dear.”
They exchanged roughly the same words at least once a day, but the ritual pleased them both.
Shahkar followed the path to a hut above and behind their cabin. He used a small clipboard to record the temperature, wind speed and direction from the vintage instruments hung on the hut’s wooden walls. A simple U-shaped tube of glass containing liquid mercury measured barometric pressure. He also dampened a wick under a second thermometer and waited a few moments. Comparing the wet and dry thermometer reading with a small chart, Shahkar computed the humidity. Finally, he took the clipboard and recorded visual observations: Visibility, cloud elevations, sky condition.
Continuing along the path past the hut, Shahkar slowly climbed to near the peak of the mountain. He removed a tarp from a long tube that was rigidly bolted to a boulder. Opening a small box at one end, he switched on the power and checked the battery indications. Everything looked fine. Glancing at his watch, Shahkar waited a few minutes and then began typing a message in code. He would send the same message three times, so that the recipients could be assured of its accuracy.
STA 025, 11:00, WND 11 AT 300 DEG, TMP 08, HUMID 68, PRES 2889, VIS 10, CLD 10 PCT AT 9000
Invisible to him, he knew the signal was aimed directly at a receiver many miles to the south. He had no idea what they did with the information. Shahkar shut off the power switch, carefully covered the transmitter with the tarp, and returned to his wife. On the way down he was delighted to see a mule train headed up the lower levels of the mountain.
“Shani, I saw Henry’s mule train coming up the mountain. It looks like he will be here this afternoon.”
“Wonderful. I do hope he brings the seeds I asked for. I would so much like the garden to be a success this year.”
“I’m sure he will dear, I’m sure he will.”
Shani went inside to prepare some lunch and something for the mule team driver to eat. Shahkar returned to his seat on the porch and admired the view before him.
* * *
Years before Shahkar had been a banker. He managed one branch of a small chain of banks located in the city of Trintney. Managing a bank was a rewarding job, as he got to know many of the people in his neighborhood, and was often involved in their projects of starting new businesses, adding on to their homes, or simply saving money for retirement.
Shahkar was not a political man, but politics were impossible to avoid. As the coalition government gradually lost power, he could not help but notice that his better connected clients were quietly selling their holdings. A few came to him for advice on how to protect themselves should the situation become worse. He helped a number of them to convert their investments to portable assets such as diamonds, gold, and silver. Shahkar started taking his own advise, and moved over half of his savings into diamonds and a few pure silver coins. He knew it was inconsistent for a banker to do so, but he kept these valuables in a steel box that he buried under the strawberries in their city house’s small garden.
When the extremist Gengon Council took over the government by force, the economy toppled. The Council acted almost immediately to freeze bank assets. The majority of Shahkar’s customers had not had the foresight to pull their money out now found themselves with paper holdings that they could not touch. They could not even withdraw the money for necessities. There was nothing Shahkar could do for his customers except sympathize. The only people with ready cash were members of the Council government and their ubiquitous police force. Grim humor said that the green of their new money matched the green of their new uniforms.
The Gengon began a systematic program of imprisoning notable people on fabricated charges, and then seizing their assets “for the use of the State.” Shahkar knew that it was only a matter of time before he and his wife were imprisoned. Discreet inquiries through several of his customers connected Shahkar to Henry Knoble, a trader who spent most of his time buying and selling goods that he transported by mule.
Henry Silva was glad to help Shahkar and his wife relocate, and knew of a remote location that he thought would suit them perfectly. However, there were two conditions. First, Shahkar would need to pay him the equivalent of 100,000 Ran. Gems and silver were fine. Second, Shahkar would need to agree to perform minor scientific chores three times a day. Besides transporting them to their new home, Henry guaranteed to supply them with food and dry goods via his mule caravan on a monthly basis.
Shahkar understood from Henry that there was some risk involved, as the Council would not approve of these scientific chores, but that was the deal. He and his wife discussed their choices, and agreed that the risks were far lower deep in the mountains than staying in the capital. Shahkar told Henry that they were ready to go at any time, and would accept his conditions.
The move occurred the next evening. They had no chance to pack, or say goodbye to anyone. Henry had them simply bundle their warmest and most sturdy clothing in a few rough bags. There was a short delay as Shahkar went out to the garden and removed the box containing their savings. Before coming inside he removed enough diamonds to pay Henry’s fee, and put the remainder in a money belt around his waist.
Henry seemed much more interested in getting out of their home than in counting his diamonds. The three of them went out through the back yard, down an alleyway, and then into a park. A tradesman’s wagon was waiting for them. Shahkar and Kami hid themselves and their bags of clothing under some blankets as the wagon started moving.
They met up again with Henry before dawn at the far edge of town. Henry’s train of about 50 mules was already assembled. They loaded their bags onto one of the mules, and looked in vain for mules that they might ride.
“I’m sorry but people have legs and can walk. The mules are for carrying goods.”
Shrugging, Shahkar and Kami began their journey. It would take them 14 days following Henry’s delivery route to reach their new home. They were exhausted when they finally arrived, but the site of the two-room cabin facing the southern sun brought tears of joy to their eyes.
Henry spent one day with them, teaching both of them how to take measurements and transmit the data. Shahkar was the only one to do the work, but his wife was a backup should Shahkar become ill. Initially Shahkar’s transmissions were very slow, as he had no experience using this type of equipment. Over time his speed improved and the task became second nature.
They gradually forgot about their old lives in the city, and settled in comfort in their tiny home.
* * *
Kami’s sharp ears were the first to pick up the sounds of the donkeys as the train approached the cabin. Henry came around the last bend in the path and waved at them as the animals made their slow assent. There were only about 20 donkeys this time, far less than Henry’s normal team.
“Welcome to our home Henry. Kami has fixed you something to eat. Come inside and join us.”
“Thanks my friend. Just give me a moment to put out some feed for the animals. I see you have filled the water trough already. Thank you.”
Henry was polite and removed his boots before entering the cabin. He sat down heavily, but smiled as Kami began to serve him.
“Will you be staying with us tonight,” she asked.
“I wish I could, but I must keep going. I have some new locations to reach, and they are low on food.”
“Your team of donkeys is much smaller this time,” said Shahkar.
“Things are not good. There have been bandits raiding many of my customer’s homes. Many have had to flee the low country, and those that did not are often killed. I have seen terrible things when I come upon their homes after the bandits have been there.”
Kami looked very frightened at this news.
“Don’t worry, the bandits are far too lazy come this high. They prey upon the people that live in the lower forest and the French people to the west. The Council does no
thing to stop them. It is as if we had returned to the middle times.”
Henry finished the meal and asked after them. He had brought new batteries for the transmitter and a small package for Kami.
“What is it?”
“Go ahead and open it, you will see.”
She opened the small box, and smiled with delight. Inside was a collection of all sorts of seeds. She recognized squash, pees, beans, and a number of others.
“Oh Henry, this is wonderful. I will have a big garden this year.”
Henry departed quickly. They were sad to see him go, and worried about his safety, as well as their own. If Henry were to die they would not be able to stay here. Then what would they do?
* * *
The loud sounds of horse’s hooves awoke them both. Before they were out of bed their cabin door burst open and five men entered carrying guns and lanterns. Shahkar thought at first they were bandits, but realized quickly that they were dressed in green combat uniforms. Soldiers.
Two of the men grabbed Kami and dragged her out of the house. The leader then used his gloved hand to hit Shahkar hard against the side of his face, knocking him off the bed.
“Both of you are traitors and will die. The only question is how quickly. If you want your wife to avoid a very painful death, you will cooperate. Do I make myself understood?”
Shahkar was too stunned to speak, but was able to nod his head. One of the men tied his hands and shoved him back onto the bead.
Shahkar got a glimpse of his wife through the open door. She was tied stomach-down over the saddle of a horse like a recently killed deer. Shahkar hoped she was still alive, and then thought again. She was better off dead.
JP was waiting for John Young as he rolled his fighter to a stop at the hanger end of the runway. As arranged, John wanted to find out whatever JP had turned up about secret transmissions from the base. John got out of the airplane, took off his parachute and spoke to JP.
“I think there may be some slack in the aileron linkage. Mind if we take a look?”
“No problem John, we can do it together. Help me pull your plane into the far hanger and we’ll pop off the inspection plates.”
Heavier Than Air Page 7