The Green Platoon by Martin Hand

Author:Martin Hand [Hand, Martin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788461559
Publisher: ETC Publishing
Published: 2020-06-20T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

The United Nations observer mission began for real at 3 a.m. Friday morning. This was the first time the platoon had been entitled to don their bright blue berets. They split up into two boats, with a sergeant in each – standard Navy protocol. Simply stated, if one boat gets holed, you still have a fifty percent chance of success. There was an expected touch of nervousness; after all, this was the dead of night. The boats maintained a blackout stance, with low running speed to avoid noise. This was going to be a long, dark night slowly crossing the Dead Sea.

The crews, when they got underway, were nearly arranged according to boundary lines. Most of the Dubs were together, either by accident or design. In the boat with Fionn were the senior Privates Mark and Seamus and the juniors Taylor, Jake and Joe, under Sergeant Doyle. The sergeant wanted the lads chatting quietly, even though the pilot had insisted on silence. Doyle knew a little bit of constructive chat would calm their nerves.

‘Sarge, what’s with all the cloak and daggers?’ Jake asked.

‘Well, let’s see now, we’re in a Jordanian naval vessel. We’re landing in a foreign country. We must make our way to a rendezvous in Bethlehem. What could possibly go wrong?’

‘I know you’re being smart, Sarge, but we’re guests of the Palestinians, yeah?’

‘Well, I wouldn’t quite say guests, more invitees. You see the problem, my young friend, is that when you set foot in the West Bank, it’s bloody hard to be sure what country you’re in, Palestine or Israel.’

‘Why, is there a problem with their satnavs?’ Taylor asked.

The sergeant wondered if he was being annoying or just annoyingly stupid. ‘It’s not that. It’s that these Jewish settlements tend to grow up out of the blue,’ Sergeant Doyle continued. ‘Remember, lads, as well, tensions have been running high ever since the US moved its embassy into Jerusalem. That’s why we’re on the mission, to assess how badly that move has further irked the Palestinians.’

‘Do you know, Sarge, what Trumpy was playing at with that move?’ asked Fionn.

‘No, Private, but I have the feeling we’re about to get a profound explanation. But seriously, I’d say Jewish money, power and influence has always been a big thing in the US political system. That’s my simple guess; no doubt yours, Fionn, is more complicated.’

‘He is getting them ready for the second coming,’ Fionn said.

‘Yeah, he’s big into sex and women, that fella,’ said Taylor. He couldn’t help himself.

‘I mean the second coming of the risen Christ.’

Sergeant Doyle knew he had to intervene here, if only to get the lads refocused. ‘Now, Private, I’ve been pleased with your input into our little chat so far, so you’re not going to spoil that, are you?’

‘Look, I’m not sure that Mr Trump believes in anything much, but he sure does know how to play to an audience.’

‘So you’re saying, Fionn, that the president of the United States is getting the Jewish people ready for another Jesus?’ asked the sergeant.

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