Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 10:17 am Post subject:
I promise I'll get my response out tomorrow!
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:58 pm Post subject:
Moffitt listened to Troy explain what had to be done and took careful note of everything that was said. More and more he was focusing on the task at hand and when he glanced back at Thomas and saw him resting on the ground, for once, he simply saw the enemy soldier being the tool they needed to complete the mission. The only thing worrying him was Troy's seemingly optamistic attitude on Thomas helping them.
"Troy, a moment if you may," said Moffitt as he directed Troy away from the others. Once they were alone, he asked, "What makes you so sure Thomas will be willing to help us? He might be friendly, but he doesn't seem the traitor type."
He sighed and said, "Let me put it to you another way, even if you knew that a certain unit amongst the US troops were doing wrong, would you be so quick to turn the information over to the Jerries, knowing that it would cost the lives of your fellow troops?"
Moffitt didn't want to discourage Troy any, but this was stating a fact. Thomas may be young and he may be very interested in making friends, but betrayal was still betrayal, especially when the act would be committed against the one who took him out of the war to save his life. As much as Moffitt didn't like Dietrich, he couldn't help but hold a slight spot of admiration for the Captain in his decision with Thomas.
Meanwhile, as Moffitt asked his questions, Thomas lay on the desert sand in a light sleep. Sure, Thomas would guide them if asked, but there was no way that Thomas was going to let them get any closer to this air strip.
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
Troy nodded in agreement with Moffitts, point. "I told the Captain that, you think I wanted to bring him along? He's nothing but a kid, should be at home chatting up the local girl, playing on his team. Not here in the middle of the African desert. Captain gave me no choice, now he has no choice either he helps or we leave him tied up in the bottom of a wadi until we can get back . . . if we get back." Troy looked at the kid for a moment, and then looked back at Moffitt. "You don't like it, I don't like it, he doesn't like it." he sighed and looked down at the sand picking up a handful and letting it trickle through his fingers. "War is hell. Now unless you want to register another complaint that I can do nothing about I suggest we shake it." Troy stood brushing the sand that clung to his khaki pants. "Tully, Hitch wind 'em up" Troy called as he headed for the jeeps.
The two privates looked up from where they had been lounging against their transportation waiting patiently for the word. Once given they sprung into action double checking the big fifty caliber guns were locked down properly. A lesson they had learned the hard way, a lose gun and knocked Troy from the jeep as he climbed to man in after they had unexpectedly come on a german patrol, it had almost cost Troy his life and Hitch his job. Instead Troy ended up with a concussion and was bruised black and blue for a week. By the time he came back Troy's hair trigger temper had cooled and Hitch was doublely careful from then on.
Running at night had both it's pro's and cons. On the up side the chances of running into a kraut patrol or convoy crazy enough as them Rat Patrol to be moving at night without lights was pretty slim. On the down side the odds of breaking an axle in a wadi or running into deep sand pockets like now were pretty good. Hitch could hear Troy swearing as the Sergeant paced back and forth like some caged tiger. Tully grinned sourly at Hitch as the two men worked at digging the jeep free. "Well, at least the gun was locked down." The Kentuckian said.
Thirty minutes later the two vehicles were once again running under the moonlight headed for the safety of another wadi
Last edited by AgilePawz on Tue Oct 04, 2011 1:07 am; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 1:01 am Post subject:
Moffitt surpressed his thoughts when Troy said that if Thomas didn't help, they'd leave him tied up in the wadi. Somehow, Moffitt would just prefer to leave Thomas in the wadi without even trying to make him talk.
"We'll find a way," was all Moffitt could say. Troy was right, there was nothing that they could do about this. It was an unfortunate circumstance for Thomas to be placed into, but he was still a soldier and couldn't be treated as a non-combtant.
Getting up, Moffitt went over to Thomas and bent down to shake his shoulder. A drawing in the sand caught his attention and after studying it for a moment, hope surging through him that maybe Thomas was leaving a subtle clue, he laughed. It was nothing but a football match drawing with player movement across the pitch.
"Komm, wachen Sie auf," said Moffitt, shaking Thomas's shoulder. "We're heading out and we need your help."
Thomas groaned but obediently sat up. He looked to Troy and narrowed his eyes at him. "Nein. I am not helping you kill my Captain."
"Who said anything about killing Dietrich?" Moffitt asked, trying to parry the accusations as neatly as he could. He helped Thomas stand up and then escorted him over to the jeep. He didn't climb in though, and simply stood next to Thomas who sat in the jeep, sulking and glaring at Troy the whole time.
"Killing is the unfortunate business of war, you understand that, don't you?" Moffitt asked.
Thomas sighed deeply but didn't respond.
"Surely you knew in training that eventually you'd have to kill."
"I have."
"You have?" Moffitt questioned, surprised by the answer.
"I have killed men." Thomas blinked several times, as though avoiding tears. "I didn't want to, but they gave me choice. They wanted to kill my Captain."
Moffitt looked from Thomas to Troy, whom Thomas had resumed glaring at. Thinking fast, Moffitt asked, "Is your loyalty to your unit or to just your Captain?"
"I like you, Jack," said Thomas. "You have been the only other nice person to me since my arrival in the desert. But please, don't ask me to betray the one who saved my life."
Moffitt smiled a little and patted Thomas's shoulder reassuringly, then spoke to Troy, "His loyalty is to Captain Dietrich, to no one else. He firmly believes that our mission is to kill him."
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
"You can tell him we have no intention of killing 'his captain' better the devil we know than the devil we don't" Troy had a great deal of respect for the German officer, more than he had for some American ones he knew. Dietrich would deal square with a man, had show compassion at times and had even agreed under some duress of course to help Moffitt avoid Court Martial after destroying some tainted plasma, that had been traded to Dietrichs unit for safe passage.
Then again Dietrich was not above planting a someone in a camp for just this purpose too, and hearing that Thomas had such a strong loyalty to the man, only served to add more stress to the mission. All they needed to end up in some POW camp lined up for interegation by the SS or some gun-ho officer was for Thomas to give them wrong information. Troy had promised himself that he would die before going in again, the treatment he had received the first time was not to be forgotten, and he would not let either of the two young privates fall victim to such treatment. Better to go down fighting then a prisoner. The Rat Patrol had made far too many enemies to even think they would have it easy inside one.
The moon rode like a silver disc in the night sky, its brilliance obscuring the stars by which Troy did alot of his navigation, that and a compass out here were all you had to go by. There were no real permanent landmarks to travel by. 0h-two-twenty found them descending into the wadi where they would hole up until dawn. This was the closest supply dump they had to where the airstrip was being built some sixty miles away. After a few hours of sleep they would go to work scoping out the layout of the airfield, studying movement and troop placement and the overall routine of the base. Then and only then would they depend on Thomas to get them in where the heavy equipment was kept under lock and key. Again taking first watch allowing his men to settle and get some rest Troy studied the night sky, unlike most of his friends Troy had enlisted in the Army right out of Highschool before the war had even involved the U.S. not by much but long enough to have earned his Corporal stripes, and being assigned to special commando training and shipping out for Africa. He was very different from the other three men on his squad who had enlisted soon after Pearl Harbor, the Army was his life, should he survive the war he would stay in, he might even accept that field commission they were so eager to give him. For now this was where he was needed most.
The faint droning of an engine drew his attention aloft, using his field glasses he was able to spot a cargo plane high and off to the east. Troy swore vigorously, typical intell from G2, a day late and a dollar short. The airstrip wasn't near completion, it was already in use! The problem of Thomas helping them get in quietly was moot now. The mission had just gone from a 'Get in, blow things up, get out' scenario to a 'Get in destroy everything and maybe die trying to get out' Moffitt was right maybe they should leave the kid tied up in the wadi, he stood a better chance of surviving.
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 2:17 am Post subject:
Quickly relaying the information to Thomas, Moffitt hoped to relieve the young German of some of his worries. Like Troy, Moffitt did wonder whether or not Dietrich was using Thomas to lure the Rats near him. However, if this was true, why would their own Captain be so keen on sending Thomas along with them? Surely he would have suspected the same thing!
Thomas didn't say anything in response to Moffitt and simply looked away from Troy and sighed. He hated being a pawn in this game. It was bad enough that he was harassed by members of his own unit without being subjected to this stupid game by the Allies. So much for Dietrich's words of comfort.
What was that again? Thomas furrowed his brow in thought as the jeeps roared to life and took off across the desert. He distinctly remembered Dietrich telling him that he'd be safer in Allied hands and that he wouldn't have to fight anymore. All he'd have to do was stay in a camp. If only Dietrich could see him now. Under normal circumstances with any normal soldier, Thomas mused that they would have greatly balked at the idea of their commander surrendering them to the Allies, but Thomas wasn't normal. He didn't want to be a soldier.
When the jeeps came to a halt, Thomas jerked his head up. He hadn't realised that he had fallen asleep. He looked around and blinked in surprise. A wadi? They were certainly getting close...
Thomas was motioned out of the jeep but the young German was defiant and ignored the command. After a bit though, he climbed out and curled up on the sand. Even when food was offered to him, he rejected it. Moffitt set it before him, but Thomas just stared at it, growing sadder with each sigh until finally he shut his eyes again as a solitary tear escaped his eye. He just couldn't betray his Captain.
"Hey Troy, look at this," said Moffitt, gesturing at Thomas. He wasn't interested in Thomas's tears as much as he was in Thomas being asleep again. "It would seem his natural defence is to sleep."
Then he heard the plane and immediately looked up. This was definitely not good. He asked, "What is our next move and when?"
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
Troy turned back to Moffitt as the plane disappeared in the distance. "Well you can tell your friend that he can quit worryin' he's obsolete. That strip is up and running, and Im betting it's got a full garrison to keep it that way too. Troy slammed a hand against the hood of the nearest jeep in anger and frustration. They were unable to break radio silence this close to the target, the transmission would be picked up very easily. There were days that he just wanted to hang it all up and this was turning into one of them and the day had barely begun.
Taking his hat off he massaged his temples and looked from Moffitt to Hitch to Tully, all three sets of eyes looking at him expectantly. Waiting for him to come up with a plan that would by some small miracle complete their mission and get them back safely. Right now his bag was empty, running on little sleep, he just could not come up with one.
"I don't know and right now I'm just too tired to think. We need to put eyes on that strip before we do anything, but what ever we do it's not going to be easy. Tully, Hitch lets get that netting up and then get some sleep, Ill take first watch." Troy sighed and climbed back up out of the wash and took up his earlier position. Staring southward as if he could see sixty miles distant.
Tully and Hitch exchanged glances, and then set to work setting up camp, draping netting over the two jeeps, tossing bedrolls on the ground, pulling their Thompson A1's free of their boots on the two men threw themselves on the ground and were soon fast asleep. If there was one thing a soldier learned quickly, was the ability to fall asleep in a matter of moments.
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:14 am Post subject:
Moffitt sighed and simply nodded before turning back towards Thomas. More and more this mission was getting tiring, but what could Moffitt do, quit the war? He smirked lightly, knowing that he wouldn't be alone in this sentiment.
Thomas lay still on the sand, ignoring everything and everyone around him. He was in a light sleep, which enabled him to be at least somewhat aware of his surroundings whilst still allowing him some sanctuary in rest. Once more his thoughts had returned to the series of dreams that he had been having that involved a German sergeant by the name of Bröcker. How he knew the man was a sergeant, Thomas didn't know.
All he saw was a man in a footballer's kit, beckoning him to come join the squad. It was in Bavaria and the Alps towered in the background. Thomas sighed happily. He was home. This was the place he visited when he closed his eyes on this trip. All he wanted was to make this dream a reality and find the one whom he called "Coach".
His dreams suddenly blurred as Moffitt shook him into awareness. Thomas blinked and glared angrily up at the English sergeant. He growled crankily, "Hej, was ist los?"
"I need to tell you something, a bit of good news."
Thomas glared in disbelief and shut his eyes. "Lass mich in ruhe."
"You don't have to worry about Captain Dietrich," said Moffitt.
"Warum?" Thomas asked, now opening his eyes again and glaring once more. "Did your friends kill him already?"
"No, that's not what this mission is about."
"It is the air strip, yes?" Thomas asked in English. He gave a chuckle and rolled over, his back turned to Moffitt. "It is weeks been up, likely yes."
Moffitt looked to Troy, knowing that he probably had heard this as well.
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
Troy did indeed hear the laughing remark by the young footballer cum soldier. He ground his teeth together until he thought they would crack. He was good at the job the Army had handed him, but he could not do the impossible and that's just what they had handed him with this mission.
They had little choice but to get the job done and it was up to him to see it did.
The cold clear night offered neither comfort nor suggestion as Troy chewed his problem over, pressing himself against the rock face for any residual warmth it might offer. In his mind he went over the aerial photos:
The ridgeline that partially sheltered the airstrip ran in a Northwest to Southeast direction, with the landing field about a hundred yards off of it. The fuel dump had been built up agains the ridge so that it was well protected and even if blow would not effect the strip itself. According to the photos the heavy equipment was also stored near the rock wall as shelter against any sandstorms that might come up.
The whole layout was a rectangular layout with the long sides running in the direction of the ridge Northwest to Southeast. The main tower for the facility was located centrally on the rockwall side with a gun enplacement on either side about twenty to thirty yards apart the length of the runway. The krauts were determined to keep their facility intact. On the short sides stood two towers on diagonal corners from each other. Quansit type buildings and tents Troy assumed housed men for the most part occupied the final sided again with gun enplacements approximately twenty to twenty five yards apart. His concern was that the intell had been so far off how wrong were the photos.
The sound of someone climbing out of the wadi pulled Troy from his thoughts, and Tully came into view Thompson slung over one shoulder to relieve him from watch.
"Any coffee down there?" Troy asked stretching to ease the stiffness from his chilled muscles, the rib he had broken three weeks ago shifted casuing him to wince with pain.
Tully nodded "yeah still hot" the laconic Kentuckian did not notice the grimace of pain on Troy's face "You okay Sarge?"
Troy nodded "Yeah but I'm going to need to rewrap ribs later on."
"Sure Sarge" Tully took up Troy's former position accepting the field glasses and settling himself comfortably.
Troy made his way down into the wadi and over to the small coffee pot that sat over and tiny fire, this was the last fire they would have for some time. The dark haired man warmed his hands around the tin cup. Grateful for the small amount of warmth it offered. He looked at the three sleeping forms on the ground and wished that Moffitt was awake, he needed his second as a sounding board right now.
This time it was Hitch that woke Troy from a safe distance with a cocky grin. 'Rise and shine Sarge, breakfast is ready." the youngest member of the Rat Patrol tossed Troy a tin of canned something thatwas supposed to be food, a idea Troy rather doubted, and found a spot for himself as he tossed a can of chopped ham to the geman.
Twenty minutes later found the jeeps on the move, this time far more cautiously then they had been traveling. Now there was a much larger chance of running across German patrols or even being spotted from the
sky as an additional threat. Troy now rode perched on the spare tire, one hand firmly on the grip of the big fifty cal. Unlike before they rode well apart with Tully and Moffitt driving of their left quarter at the seven o'clock position. It would take them about an hour Troy estimated to reach the airstrip. Suddenly the glint of sunlight on glass caught Troy's attention, and pulling his field glasses up to his eyes in the distance a kraut patrol that consisted of two half-tracks and a troop truck escorting two unmarked vehicles. Troy got a bad feeling when he stared at the unmarked black staff cars. Just what the hell was going on!
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:56 pm Post subject:
Moffitt stared hard at Thomas, who immediately tried to go back to sleep. Moffitt demanded in English, "If you knew this, why didn't you tell us?"
"Was?" came Thomas's reply. He rolled onto his back and stared up at Moffitt and replied in his still shaky English, "Ja, new...aber, ich verstehe nicht..."
Moffitt frowned, then repeated his question in German. This time Thomas glared at him and replied back in German, "Because you never asked."
With another sigh, Thomas rolled over onto his side. As much as Moffitt didn't want to admit it, Thomas was right. All the talk of the air strip had been in English, never in German. Could it have been that simple, to just ask Thomas about the air strip?
"What do you know about it?" Moffitt asked, hoping that Thomas was still willing to talk to him.
Thomas didn't reply. Moffitt tried a few times but Thomas only closed his eyes and ignored him. Moffitt wanted to shake Thomas and get the answers from him, but he knew that getting angry at him would only provoke more defiance so he just let him be. Maybe he could figure out a way to get Thomas to talk in the morning.
By morning though, Moffitt noticed that Thomas wasn't looking himself. His face was more pale, almost sickly and he shivered constantly. Moffitt sat next to him and offered him some of his breakfast, but Thomas quietly refused.
It was only when Moffitt ushered Thomas into the jeep that he finally spoke. Looking at the Englander, Thomas asked weakly, "I suppose there is no use in asking all of you to not go through with this, is there?"
Moffitt shook his head, then climbed into the jeep and they were off. It didn't take long for Thomas to fall asleep once more. Moffitt could only hope that Thomas was somewhere pleasant. When the patrol was spotted, Moffitt's heart jumped. Things were definitely not going well.
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
Troy pumped a fist up and down as a signal to regroup and halt. The black staff cars were cause for great concern, around here only two types of of people rode in them Gestpo or high ranking officers, both were equally dangerous for different reasons. The question was which were on the way to that airstrip? He needed to know and quickly, one way was to follow the patrol at a safe distance, the other to send someone inside but who and how?
As Tully pulled his jeep even with Hitch, Troy nodded at Moffitt and jumped clear of the jeep walking away a few yards, waiting for Moffitt to join him. "We have trouble" he said one hand on his hip the other rubbing his jaw as he paced back and forth. "Either the Gestapo has something happening and soon or there's some big-wig coming in. Either way we got to know just what is happening in there. Suggestions?"
Troy waited expectantly but knew there was no other way of getting the info they needed so very much. After a few minutes of silence he nodded and studied the ground for a moment, the decision was his and his alone. They would study the rotation of the guards for a couple of hours as well as any activity they could spot. Later he alone would go into the camp and scope the situation, and try to make it back out before dawn with the information. Then with or without him, Moffitt would take Tully and Hitch and they hit the airstrip and take out the base to the best of their ability. Returning back to Sorrison and report. Of course he hadn't told Moffitt any of this as of yet, and he wouldn't until it was too late for his 2IC to argue. Besides Moffitt had to get the kid back safe and sound to play soccer another day, and they really couldn't stash the kid anywhere safe and hope the the german army would stumble upon him and cut him loose.
Sighing Troy shook his head and looked back at the men sitting in the jeeps wating patiently, and then back at Moffitt "Okay let's shake it we have about six hours of daylight left to get an idea on the lay out, watches and garriosn strength." Walking back to his jeep he climbed behind the big gun on the pedistal and the two vehicles resumed their journey in the wake of the german patrol that was now out of sight.
Hot and tired Troy lay half buried in the sand atop a dune about a quarter mile from their target, through his field glasses, and swore under his breath. Sometimes he wondered what zoo G2 got their chimpanzee's from that collected their intell. It was obvious that this airstrip was fully operational, not only did they have gun emplacements and half-tracks, but a couple of mortars in place as well. How the hell they were going to take this out without a tank was beyond him a the moment. He glanced at Moffitt next to him looking through his own field glasses. "I am open to suggestions because short of a miracle I have no idea how we're going to pull this off." he said in disgust
At the base of the dune Hitch and Tully watched their CO, the german in the seat next to Tully temporarily forgotten.
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:13 pm Post subject:
Moffitt thought, and thought hard about what Troy had said. Sure, it would have been easy to throw one suggestion right after the other out, but talking needlessly was pointless. Not only that, but a careless idea might be tried out of sheer desperation to accomplish this mission. However, as Moffitt knew from years of archaeology, no puzzle was unsolvable if one allowed himself time to simply step back and think. And that was precisely what Moffitt was going to do, think.
Pacing about, Moffitt secretly wished that he had a cup of tea. Nothing like tea to help stimulate the brain to calculate the most cunning of plans and figure out the most complicated of problems. For now though, water would have to do.
Coming back over to the jeep, Moffitt saw that Tully wasn't even paying attention to the young German. At any moment, Thomas could have snuck from his seat and climbed behind the gun and let them all have it. However, something told Moffitt that Thomas wasn't about to do such a thing. Though Thomas had been trained as a soldier, his actions and sentiments proved that his innocence was struggling fiercely against the new world that forbid such alliances with the enemy. Thomas was just a kid in uniform, but still dangerous.
The one thing that kept Moffitt from trusting Thomas entirely was his devotion to Captain Dietrich. Had they been coming to any other until, to any other airstrip, Moffitt had a hunch that Thomas wouldn't be reacting this way. But it was Thomas's Captain whose life was possibly in jeopardy.
Coming up next to Tully, Moffitt hissed quietly, "Just because he looks young and hasn't tried anything doesn't mean he won't. Even that one German boy we wound up helping became desperate to save his father. There's no telling what Thomas might do if wound up too much."
Then Moffitt went over to the jeep and got his canteen. When he looked at Thomas, he saw that the young German was awake, but just barely. What he saw worried him. Thomas was pale and looking very sick. The darkness of the night had hid this well but now in the rising daylight, it was evident to see. Forgetting his earlier fears, Moffitt felt Thomas's brow and noticed how cool it was. Thomas hardly reacted to him and shivered.
Everyone else was sweating. Moffitt brought the canteen forth and said, "You must drink this."
Thomas regarded it sadly, then shook his head. "Nein."
"You're dehydrated. You must drink."
A tear fell along Thomas's cheek and he again replied simply, "Nein. Lass mich allein."
"You're going to die if you don't!" exclaimed Moffitt, more loudly than he would have liked as it was sure to draw Troy's attention. He couldn't help it though. It felt like Thomas was in his care and thus his responsibility. He forced the canteen to Thomas's lips and said, "Drink, Thomas. Or is that your goal, to die?"
Thomas regarded him with melancholic eyes, then said softly, trying once more to speak in English, "In football... many times we fake things. We trick... we, dece..." Thomas frowned in thought, then tried the word again but failed.
"Deceive?" Moffitt offered hopefully, starting to see where this was going.
"Ja, genau," replied Thomas. He then continued, avoiding Troy's look as he said, "We fake, we trick, we decieve. We... distract, and put it in the goal. That is how we do it."
Moffitt looked from Thomas to Troy, the idea already in his mind. He spoke eagerly to Troy. "He might have something there. If we do a bit of scouting, perhaps we can set up a distraction of sorts, send their forces away from guarding this if they thought that a bigger invasion was going to happen. Then we come in and finish the job here."
Thomas suddenly groaned miserably and hunched over in the seat.
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
Troy watched Moffitt interact with the kid, and noticed that he wasn't looking good but what could he do? His choices were rather limited 1) go on with the mission and hope he came through okay or 2) try and get him back to "his captain" get him medical treatment.
At Moffitt's excited exclamation Troy, walked over to where he stood half hovering over Thomas. Walking past the jeeps he glared at Tully and jerked his thumb in the direction of the ridge "Get up there and keep your eye's open, I want to know when they blow their noses. There's something going on and I want to know what it is!" he growled at the two privates who knew better than to drop their guard, even it their charge was a kid younger than they were.
Walking past Moffitt he nodded to a shaded spot not too far from the jeeps "What had you got?" he asked setting the cup of coffee half forgotten on the hood of the jeep as he went.
Tully climbed to the top of the ridge and like Troy half buried himself in the sand. Raising the field glasses he began systematic sweeps of the area noting the number of guards and men at the guns. Hitch mean while turned to face Thomas and sighed it was going to be a long day. "You speak english?" he asked as he nonchalantly popped a bubble of the ever present chwing gum.
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:25 am Post subject:
Of course Thomas wasn't feeling well. He had just revealed to Moffitt an idea on how they could fulfil their mission, possibly putting Captain Dietrich's life in jeopardy. Not only that, but if the mission wasn't a success and he was freed, the Gestapo would certainly want to have a chat with him and despite being in the service for such little time, Thomas knew how the Gestapo operated.
He wanted nothing to do with them.
Of course he was scared. He knew that there was also a good chance that he would die, not just by being shot these soldiers here but also by his own. Even worse than death though was knowing that he was betraying his Captain and this would lead to the death of his own countrymen. This wasn't a fight he wanted, but he was still in it. How could he ever hope to play for his country, to bring them honour in a dignified fashion, if he took part in the death of fellow soldiers?
Thomas groaned and felt as though he wanted to throw up.
Meanwhile, Moffitt followed Troy and settled in the sand. "Thomas was suggesting that we somehow create a diversion, one way or another... whether by us or some outside force. If we can draw their forces from the air strip, it is quite possible that we can sneak in and destroy it."
Moffitt grinned a little, recalling seeing something like what Thomas had been describing at a football match he watched a time ago. "I've seen what he used as a comparison, in football, soccer... the defence is drawn out, leaving the keeper exposed. That's when the striker sneaks in and gets the ball into the net."
Back in the jeep, Thomas regarded the canteen that Moffitt had left for him. His throat hurt with dehydration but still he refused. It was better to die here than to let it be known to Dietrich that he was helping the Rat Patrol. When Tully asked him the question, Thomas looked to him.
"Little," he said. He clutched the canteen, suddenly wishing that he had his football with him. Then another thought crossed his mind and he looked into the pale blue sky and whispered, "Mother..."
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
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