Battleline (2007) (11 page)

Brannigan walked up and took a seat with the section commanders. "Hell of a thing, wasn't it?"

Senior Chief Buford Dawkins took a loud slurp from his canteen cup. "I sure as the devil hope we ain't facing a dead heat here."

"Mmm," Ensign Orlando Taylor said with a nod. "I am not as experienced as you gentlemen, but it seems to me we could well be entering a frustrating battle of attrition. This operation is going to be won by the side that lasts longer."

"Before we start considering further consequences, I want to discuss last night's fight," Brannigan said. "Besides having a man killed and another wounded, there is something else that's bugging the hell out of me. We had three of our positions completely blown away. We're fortunate we don't have half a dozen casualties."

"Lucky hits," Chief Matt Gunnarson remarked.

"What the hell were them grenade launchers they was firing at us?" the senior chief wondered. "It would be like having a belt-fed Two-oh-three that kept shooting out projectiles as long as the trigger was held down."

"That's true," Jim Cruiser said. "I saw one place where four or five grenades in a row hit close together. From the size of the detonations I'd say they were forty millimeters like the Two-oh-three."

Orlando Taylor spoke up again. "During my training I was exposed to two such weapons. One model was from Singapore and the other Spanish. They fired belts as Senior Chief Dawkins just mentioned, and were automatic."

Brannigan nodded. "It sounds like something to report to Commander Berringer. He and the rest of intelligence staff can probably figure out what we're up against. Meanwhile, we have to rebuild those damaged positions."

"It was only those old places that were blown apart," Cruiser said. "The ones we built came through the fight in fine fettle."

"That's strange," Brannigan commented. "The ones the Pashtuns made were well built. And camouflaged too." He was thoughtful for a moment, then exclaimed, "Just a goddamn minute! Weren't we told that the Arabs on the other side spent some time here?"

"Yes, sir," Cruiser said. "And also an Iranian SF officer."

"Those bastards!" Brannigan said. "They must've pointed out the exact locations of those old defensive sites to their fire support. They knew exactly where they were. Their weapons support people were already zeroed in on them before the attack even started."

"Jesus!" Chief Gunnarson exclaimed. "We should've thought of that."

"It's those kinds of little lapses and slips that cost lives," Brannigan said. He glanced at Taylor. "Chalk that up to lessons learned, mister."

"Aye, sir!"

The session was interrupted by Bruno Puglisi hollering down the hole in the top of the bunker. "Chopper coming in!" A couple of moments passed, then he yelled again. "Commander Carey and Commander Berringer are on it!"

Brannigan chuckled without humor. "Well, when those two show up you can be sure that our adventures in these parts are about to be kicked up another notch. Who's the petty officer of the watch?"

"Sturgis," Cruiser replied. "He'll act as escort for our visitors."

Hospital Corpsman Doc Bradley stepped in from his bailiwick, walking over to where Doug MacTavish sat. He took the wounded man by the arm. "That's your ticket out of here. C'mon, I'll take you to the LZ."

Cruiser spoke up. "We've got his gear ready in the First Section's area, Doc. Stop by on the way and have one of the guys carry it out for you."

"Aye, sir," Bradley said. "The Odd Couple took Halonen topside earlier." He led MacTavish outside.

"There's a damn good corpsman," Chief Gunnarson remarked. "We'll be losing him pretty soon."

"Is he getting out of the Navy?" Taylor asked.

"No, sir," Gunnarson answered. "He's signed up for NCP. He already had his premed studies completed before he enlisted. He'll be finishing up his education to be a doctor, and plans on serving in the Navy MC as a trauma surgeon."

"The injured and wounded will really be in good hands then," Cruiser commented.

PO Monty Sturgis led Carey and Berringer into the cave. The two staff officers toted their briefcases, as they usually did. Carey motioned everyone to remain seated as he and Berringer joined the group. "I read the report on last night's battle. Short and nasty, hey? Too bad about the casualties."

"Yes, sir," Brannigan said.

"Well, another situation has arisen," Carey said. "And if you're looking for some payback time, this may be it. I'll let Commander Berringer explain it all to you."

"We've heard from Aladdin again," Berringer said, pulling several maps from his briefcase. "It was a brief transmission but had a lot of information. On fifteen June, a detachment of twenty Arab volunteers will be on its way to join your neighbors on the other side of the valley. And they'll be coming by foot." He began passing out the maps. "These have been prepared for you. You'll notice the only markings are ones that deal with their arrival."

Brannigan looked at the chart. "Aren't those reinforcements coming in by chopper?"

"Negative," Berringer replied. "They don't want you alerted, so these guys are taking a fifty-kilometer walk from their jumping-off point to this area." He gave his audience a meaningful glance. "That means they're highly trained, well equipped, and in damn good physical condition."

"I hope you're here to get us ready to form a reception party," Senior Chief Dawkins said.

"That's it exactly," Carey replied. "As you see by their route, they're coming in through rugged territory to avoid detection. We'll be able to have the Air Force fly you to a convenient LZ in that area to make contact. The flight won't attract any undue attention, since they drop off recon teams there from time to time. And it won't take you long to unass the aircraft, since all you have to do is run down the ramp to the ground."

"You are to interrupt their journey and render them ineffective," Berringer said. "And try grabbing us an EPW or two as well. When the job is done, the Air Force will pick you up at either the same LZ, or another if your prefer."

"When do we leave?" Brannigan asked.

"Immediately if not sooner," Carey replied. "You'll fly out with us. So gather the guys you want, and we'll take you back to Shelor Field, where you can ready yourselves and firm up any OPORD you care to make."

Brannigan paused a moment, then said, "Alright. I'll be in command of the mission. I'm gonna take the Sneaky Petes. That's six of us. Oh, yeah. And Puglisi and Miskoski. That'll make eight. Mmm." He pondered a bit more than said, "And Ensign Taylor."

"Thank you, sir!" Taylor happily exclaimed.

"It's a good chance to enhance your experience," Brannigan remarked. He looked at Cruiser. "You'll stay back here in command. Turn the First Section over to your senior petty officer."

"Aye, sir!"

Brannigan's attention was now directed to Senior Chief Petty Officer Buford Dawkins. "You heard my choices of personnel, Senior Chief. Round 'em up and get 'em in here." As the senior chief rushed off to tend to the chore, Brannigan turned back to Cruiser. "Rebuild the fighting positions that were knocked down last night, but don't put 'em back in the same spot or they'll get pulverized again."

"Aye, sir!"

"What was that all about?" Carey asked. "Have your defenses been compromised?"

"I'll explain during the flight back to Shelor," Brannigan said. "Excuse me. I have to pack a few things."

CHAPTER
7

ZAHEYA POSITIONS

BRIGADIER'S HEADQUARTERS

13 JUNE 0945 HOURS

BRIGADIER Shahruz Khohollah was pleased. He smoked his Turkish cigarette almost gleefully as he looked across his desk at Sikes Pasha, Captain Khadid, and Captain Komard. "The attack of last night was a superb victory!"

Sikes wasn't so sure about a "superb victory," but it obviously was a tactical success in that the enemy's defensive system was damaged by concentrating fire on known positions to destroy them. This was accomplished as planned. "When them reinforcements arrive, we'll give the Yanks a what-for they ain't soon to forget, yeah?"

Komard was interested in the new men. "How many are we receiving, Sikes Pasha?"

"Twenty," he replied. "It doubles me force, that's wot it does." He glanced over at the Brigadier. "Things are a lot better than when we was at Chehaar Garrison, hey, Brigadier?"

"Absolutely correct, Major Sikes," the brigadier said. He did not refer to Sikes by the title "Pasha," since he outranked the Brit. In fact, there were times when Khohollah was irritated by the arrogant manner in which Sikes conducted himself. It smacked of the old colonial attitudes of the British Empire. But the brigadier was convinced that the General Staff put great value on this deserter from the UK, and any undue complaints about him might prove most disadvantageous to the career of anyone who denigrated the man.

"Our situation improves daily," Captain Khadid said. He had never been at Chehaar Garrison during the situation with the armored cars. He had been in the Pashtun camp as a personal adviser to Yama Orakzai, the Pashtun rebel leader. This had been before and during the setbacks and humiliations that had been inflicted on Sikes by the Americans. The situation had infuriated the former British soldier.

"Yes," the brigadier said. "We are much better off." He was personally miffed as a general officer by the number of men he commanded. Even with the arrival of the Arab volunteers, he would have less than a hundred under his overall control. And no artillery. By proper military custom, Khohollah should have been leading two thousand to five thousand men into battle. However, in spite of the resentment, he showed enthusiasm and optimism for the sake of his subordinate officers and soldiers. He smiled at his loyal adjutant, Captain Jamshid Komard, whom he had given the command of the fire support unit. "Your men made superlative work of covering the withdrawal as well as knocking out the defensive positions."

"I shall pass on your compliments to the gunners, Excellency," Komard said. "They will be most happy about your approval." He hesitated, then asked, "Do you think there is a chance of us receiving mortars to replace the grenade launchers, Excellency?"

The brigadier shook his head. "Do not anticipate any such happening, dear Komard. To express the truth, I was greatly surprised by the reinforcements. I did not expect such a thing unless the
Amerikayizan
increased their strength in soldiers or weapons."

Captain Khadid lit a cigarette. "The political and diplomatic aspects of this operation truly test a soldier's patience, do they not?"

"You speak the absolute truth, Captain," Brigadier Khohollah agreed. "But we must keep in mind that the Iranian government is not run by the Army."

Sikes nodded. "I'm finding all that a bit too much to swallow meself. I'd just as soon give them Yanks a good whipping, then get the Pashtuns back in their place. Then we can get on with taking over Afghanistan."

"Be patient, Major Sikes," the brigadier advised him. He smiled, saying, "Could it be that you miss your little Pashtun wife?"

"I miss her, alright," Sikes admitted. "But we ain't married no more, since me and Cap'n Khadid was told to leave. That ended the marriage. It was a
muta
anyhow and supposed to be temporary by Islamic law." He paused hesitantly for a moment, then said, "I don't like to stick me nose in places where it ain't wanted, but I been wondering a bit if you have a wife or wives you miss."

"I only had one wife," the brigadier said. "She died five years ago. We were, alas, a childless couple; thus I have no descendants. Nor are there kin of any sort. And I cannot muster the desire for another woman. I believe, for whatever reason, that Allah in his mercy does not want me to remarry. I am now an old soldier alone in the world." He gestured around him. "And here I am in this strange situation, tied down by puzzling orders issued by my government."

"It ain't all bad, sir," Sikes said. "We do have some leeway in that we can carry on harassing tactics in any manner that suits us." He leaned forward. "I'm working on a couple o' plans, sir. When I get everything straight in me head, I'll bring 'em up." He was thoughtful for a moment, then spoke again. "I was wondering, Brigadier, that wot if we had some rotten luck and them Yanks kicked us out o' here, hey? Wot'd happen then?"

"I have heard no official word," Khohollah said. "However, in my personal opinion, almost the entire Iranian Army would be sent here to storm straight into Afghanistan and create a situation the Yanks--as you call them--would find most disturbing. We will stay low-key as long as they stay low-key. But we are eventually going to conquer Afghanistan, then the entirety of the Middle East."