Chapter 9 Gunfire pounded from the other end of the call. Repeat, taking heavy fire at the Onyx trench line. Requesting aerial assistance. I knew where the Onyx trench was, so I hustled back to the flight station and launched the recon drone. Kurgan set up an anti tank FPV and carried it outside as Hans sat down next to me and pulled his goggles back on. Hans started to say something…when PHOOM! An artillery shell hit right near our bunker. Dirt fell from the ceiling beams and the ground shook. I put my drone into hover and ran to the bunker entrance. I got to the chain curtain just as Kurgan was coming back down the stairs holding something in his gloved hand and grinning. He had fresh dirt smeared across his armor and face. Hoowee! He yelled, that was a close one! Check this out, He held out his hand and dropped a jagged black chunk of metal onto the desk. Whisps of smoke trickled off the shard. It’s still hot! Kurg said proudly. Hans stared at the chunk of shrapnel in disbelief. Han...
Tango Tango Seven you copy? The radio asked. I picked it up and listened to the order. Ok Hans, ready for your first flight over a combat zone? Yeah, he said with mild enthusiasm. I smiled, that’s good. Kurgan stomped down the dirt stairs and into the bunker. He had to hunch to keep his helmet from knocking on the wooden rafters. Is there an attack? Hans asked. Easy killer, Kurgan explained, they just need overwatch for an infil. Oh, Hans said, slightly deflated, he had his FPV goggles in his hand. I noticed and said, don’t worry you’ll be putting those on soon enough. This job is just as important. Ten minutes later Hans was looking at a phone-sized screen on a drone controller. The drone was high in the air looking down on two Bradly IFV’s and a Booker light tank as they made their way across the Texan plains. I sat nearby sipping an energy drink and watching the same scene on a tablet. There, see the trench line? It just came into view. Hans smiled, he flew the drone with ease. He s...