Citizen X by Thomas Deprima

Author:Thomas Deprima [Deprima, Thomas]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction
Publisher: Vinnia Publishing
Published: 2012-08-23T04:00:00+00:00

The packing was complete and the platoon was almost ready to move out when Kennedy got a message from one of the forward scouts watching the rebel camp using the surveillance vid units. Kennedy immediately gave the order to strike the CP tent and the platoon was on the move within fifteen minutes.

As they stepped into the jungle, everyone heard Kennedy say, "All external speakers should be off. Group chatter is restricted to Com 1. Com 2 is for communications between myself, the noncoms, and our scouts. Understood?"

A chorus of voices could be heard saying, "Oo-rah." Just as with Sydnee's private communication with Kennedy, any member of the platoon could communicate privately with any other, or any small group such as a fire team, and many would discuss personal observations as they traveled.

Unlike most of the platoon members who had either been out on recon or on patrol in the area around the camp, this was Sydnee's first venture into the jungle. She thought she was prepared for the trek, but it was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Travel through the wooded areas wasn't too difficult, and climbing up steep slopes using ropes strung by the lead scouts was challenging, but walking through swamps where they were completely submerged at times was more than she had expected. The armor was sealed and each person remained perfectly dry, but she found it very disconcerting the first time the person ahead of her disappeared below the water line and she realized there was no one else visible ahead of her at that moment.

As Sydnee slipped below water level, she experienced a moment of panic in the dark, murky water, but then an outline of the person ahead of her appeared on the inner faceplate of her helmet. She kept following that outline until she was rising out of the muck and she saw that the platoon members ahead of her were all visible again.

"If I wanted jungle warfare I would have joined the Marines," she grumbled aloud to herself as they stepped out onto somewhat dryer land again.

"Stow it, Marcola," she heard Kennedy's voice say and only then realized that her direct com link was open. "Until the Perry returns, you are a Marine."

Sydnee silently cursed herself for not noticing that the Com 2 transmit link was open and for opening her big mouth. Then she smiled at her mistake.

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