David Golemon - Legacy

Six hours had passed since Niles had contacted the president and requested heavy assistance. Since that time Sebastian and his nine commandos had reported more Ecuadorian army personnel arriving at the mine. Thus far it looked as if three companies had been positioned in and around the old excavation. As it looked to the German commando, most of the army personnel were taking up station facing west, downhill toward Quito, defending a front where they thought their main threat would come.

“The president is in constant contact with President DeSilva. He is asking for the removal of Ecuadorian national troops from the area, stating that the mine is a privately owned venture and that Ecuador is not obligated to secure it. Thus far the Ecuadorian military is not budging.”

Jack looked at Niles and tossed his pencil down. He angrily looked at his watch.

“ Dark Star 3 is eight hours closer to the Moon than it was the last time we met. We’re running out of time. Did the president say anything about reinforcing our position?”

Niles shook his head and tossed his glasses on the map spread out on the table.

“We need at least a hundred more men for this plan to work.”

“We should have a minimal amount of help arriving any minute, assets that were already in country. That’s all I can tell you, other than that the president has ordered first strike elements of the 101st and 82nd Airborne units into the air. I do know that he has brought several other nations into his secrecy loop, and they may provide some sort of support. But I know you want the Airborne, and the president has approved.”

“How long?” Jack asked.

“As far as I know, Jack, they haven’t left their home bases yet,” Niles answered.

“Any air support at all?” Everett asked.

“There we got lucky. The Enterprise battle group is only six hundred miles away from the territorial waters of Ecuador. If the president can figure out the rules of engagement regarding the Ecuadorian military, we should have air cover.”

“Well, that’s something, if we’re fighting anyone other than the home guard,” Everett said, just as Sebastian’s radio sprang to life.

The German listened and then spoke silently into his radio. He looked at the three men watching him.

“You’re not going to believe this,” he said, and stepped toward the door of the trailer and opened it. He waved into the darkness and stepped back inside. A knock sounded at the side of the door and an average-sized man in camouflage greasepaint poked his head in the doorway. He looked up at the German standing before him and removed his bush hat.

“Are you Major Krell?” the man asked, in a slow Southern American drawl.

“I am,” answered the German.

“My compliments, sir, and compliments to your listening posts in the woods. We stumbled right into them before we knew they were there. They had my men cold.”

“And you are?” Krell asked, as he gestured for the man to come in.

“Gunnery Sergeant Alan Pierce, United States embassy security detachment. I have seven men with me with orders from the president and the American ambassador to Ecuador to report to Major Sebastian Krell, and a Colonel Jack Collins.”

“And you have found who you are looking for,” Sebastian said, turning toward Jack. “I believe this is one of yours.”

Collins stepped forward and held out his hand. Instead of taking the outstretched hand, the gunnery sergeant saluted the colonel.

“We’re being a little informal here, Gunny. Relax.”

The gunnery sergeant lowered the offered salute and shook Jack’s hand instead. Then he shook Everett’s and Sebastian’s hands as they were introduced.

“I take it you’re the help we’re supposed to get?” Carl asked.

“Well, from the U.S. side, yes sir, at least for the moment. However, we did come across a few more fellas out in the woods two miles north of your camp.” Pierce turned and ducked his head through the doorway. Three men stepped forward, all dressed in dark green battle fatigues and all made up just as the Marine was. Their faces were dark with greasepaint and all three looked just as fierce. “Colonel Collins, this is Captain Whitlesey Mark-Patton, of Her Majesty’s Special Air Service, currently on detached service to Ecuador for embassy security evaluation.”

The British captain raised his hand in a salute and this time Jack returned it.

“Welcome, Captain. A fortunate coincidence that you’re right in the country where we need you.”

“Well, sir, I’m afraid we’re not here in force, as I only have five men with me from my unit, and three Australian army, and two New Zealanders, for a grand total of eleven men. I have been ordered to follow your instructions, and have been given the all-clear to engage forces that have been termed detrimental to Her Majesty’s government.”

“Thank you. We’ll try and put you to good use,” Jack said as he turned and faced Everett. He took a deep breath. Then he turned to the other two men who entered the small trailer. They both saluted Collins as they came to attention.

“Okay, gentlemen, that’s enough. I think we’ll just start out a little less formal.” Jack again held out his hand to the first of the two men. “I’m Colonel Jack Collins and this is Captain Carl Everett, U.S. Navy, and Sebastian Krell, German army.”

“Sergeant Tashiro Jiimzo, Japanese Self-Defense Forces, stationed as military attache to Quito. I have four other men with me, sir.”

“Sergeant Huynh Nguyen, Vietnam People’s Army, reporting on behalf of my government to you. I have ten men accompanying me. We were on duty at our embassy, training security personnel, when the request from your president came through channels.”

As the men shook hands, Jack smiled. He had to hand it to the president; he was pulling in some serious favors from friends in other countries.

“Sergeant, Captain-welcome to our little band of invaders. Since this may be all the reinforcements for a while, we’d better get down to planning. It won’t be easy. We’re outnumbered two hundred to one, with the odds against us growing larger by the minute.”

The small Vietnamese sergeant tilted his head when Jack mentioned the numbers. Then he smiled. “The odds are not unheard of, Colonel. It all depends upon the plan.”

Jack returned the smile and gestured for the men to have a seat at the map table. He knew the sergeant was schooled on long odds and short hope. That was how he was raised. Right now Jack needed men such as this if what he was planning was going to have a chance of working.

“Gentlemen, our plan is to scare the hell out of an army that’s not used to fighting crazy people. So, if I may ask, how much equipment were you able to take out of your embassies?”

The British SAS officer spoke first. “We have ten full-sized G3 assault rifles, 2 G3SG1 sniper rifles, and five G3 KA4 short barrels with collapsible stock, and also five thousand rounds of ammunition.”

“All we have is five M-16 automatic weapons with a thousand rounds,” Jiimzo said, looking embarrassed.

“The same with us, the New Zealanders and the Australians,” Nguyen said. “We have only what we could sneak out of the embassy without being observed by the Ecuadorians.”

“Oh, yes, I forgot to mention-ten claymore mines were found in the embassy armory. We liberated them from the politicos,” Captain Mark-Patton said with a smile.

Jack looked at the men in front of him. “I’m looking at thirty-six of the best soldiers in the world. Captain Everett, Major Krell, and myself are humbled, to be sure.”

“There, there, Colonel. I believe you are selling yourself quite short,” Mark-Patton said as he laid his assault weapon on the map-covered table. “I believe you were in on the rescue of that downed Intruder pilot in Iraq in ’92 and certain other exploits, including the training of my very own commanding officer on behind-the-lines infiltration. So let’s, as you say, be informal here. Yourself, Major Krell, and Captain Everett have more experience than any ten men in this room.” The captain reached over and took a field pack. He tossed it toward Everett, who caught it in midair. “Those are BDUs, green and brown. I suspect you would rather go into battle wearing something other than work shirts and Levi’s.”