Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Far and Away to Thee - Pt. 3

1500 hours. Drop zone has been attained. The Lieutenant and I have set up in our positions and are standing by. Static greets me over the Com link; then a voice. “We read you Echo-Zebra remain on stand-by, over.” “I copy that.” “Did you copy, Gamma?” “Roger, sir”. “We are on stand-by until targets reach point Tango 0-3.” “On my mark, you’ll take the lead unit out from your position while I mop up any strays that try to deploy”. “Copy that, sir”, Benitez said unwaveringly. I could always count on him, no matter how crazy things got. He and I had been on a lot of missions together. We’ve won some, we lost some. Unfortunately, war has a habit of not playing very fair and there were many comrades and good friends lost along the way. But, this was no time to start reminiscing about the old days. That’s the kind of thing that can get you killed. Never-the-less, I knew my partner and he knew me. We knew that if one didn’t come home, the other wouldn’t be far behind. I cleared my head and continued with the field briefing. “According to Intel, the enemy has a pair of heavy assault mobile Suits.” “What are we talkin’, sir, Doms?” Benitez asked. “No, nothin’ fast like that.” I continued. “Looks like a pair of Kampfers…” I paused for a moment. I didn’t like what I saw next. “Sir, is there something else?” “Uh…” I hesitated. “We’re gonna be in for a nasty fight, Benny”. The only time I called my subordinate ‘Benny” usually meant…”We’re in deep shit, aren’t we, Addy” I answered in the affirmative. “What are we lookin’ at, Chief?” he asked with some hesitation. “The twins are escorting their big brother to his DFS.” (Designated Firing Site). “What are we talking here, a Howitzer cannon?” “Benny, they’re runnin’ out Long Tom.” I replied. I could feel his chest get a little heavier as mine did the same. Long Tom was our affectionate name for a goliath of a mobile suit called the YMS-16 Zammel. It suit stood up to 27 meters tall and weighed in at just over 120 tons. The coupe de gras was the mammoth 680 mm long cannon that, when fully unfolded, could fire a shell 1000 meters and annihilate its target with grim accuracy. We didn’t worry about trying to out maneuver Long Tom, but it was very fast for such a huge war machine. “I can drop the twins easy enough, it’s that big bastard I’m worried about, Addy.” “I hear you loud and clear, Benny”. “We’ll just have to do our best and come back alive”. “That’s a big ten-four, sir”. With that said, we waited for the go ahead. Uncertainty fills the small cockpit as I wait. The air outside is light; I wish I could say the same for the inside. It’s so damn muggy in here. I loosen the strap on my helmet. It helps a little but not much. I wish I could crack the hatch just enough to let in that breeze. As I glance over at my temperature gauge, I see it, rising in the distance as though the god of war himself was seated upon it. There he was, flanked by his escorts, Ares atop his chariot. Kneeling as though surveying his spoils. Like a mighty lion, seeking what or whom he may devour. I wait for the moment to strike. My counterpart lays waiting miles from here, perched with sniper rifle at the ready, fixed on the twin Kampfers. If he plays his cards right, it’ll be two for one. That is if all goes well. For now we wait. Here I stand at the edge of this deep canyon. Beads of sweat drip down my face as I strain to focus. The pollen and dust keeps collecting on the lens. I'm constantly using the manipulator to wipe it clean. This sucks just waiting and watching. I'm hoping the breeze cools the skin enough to hide my heat signatures. It should, its cool enough. Damn, it's hot in here, though. Just stay focused, rendezvous in a few minutes. A lone figure comes into view. I focus the lens to get a closer look. She's beautiful. Her chestnut hair flows through the light wind like a sweet mist. Her skin is light and soft. She carries a basket with a blanket. She sets a place for one on the bluff overlooking a valley of the most fragrant white flowers. Am I dreaming or have I just died? Only heaven could give me this angel. Surely she has to be. Those eyes, those lips, I'm utterly intoxicated. Oh to sleep, for a chance to dream of her. If only this would be my eternity. As my mind clears from the fog of a day dream, I realize that this was no vision, no delusion of grandeur. It was her. The one that I adored, the one to whom I swore my eternal love for. The one who stood between me and 121 tons of apocalyptic fury. Truly I was still entranced, dreaming of her form. This couldn’t be her; she was miles away and getting ready to have our new baby. Why the hell was she out here, so far from our home? As I tried to make sense of it all, I saw a flash in the distance followed by a thunderous boom. Long Tom was awake and he was angry, very angry.

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