//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 Victor Charlie // Story: Welcome to Vietnam, (un)fortunate pony // by Bronycommander //------------------------------// Chapter 10: Victor Charlie Dung slowly regained consciousness, groaning as he opened his eyes, finding himself on a bed in what seemed to be an improvised hospital in a tunnel. He had a few bandages wrapped around his arms and legs, but was otherwise fine. Where am I? To his surprise, his younger brother Dang walked in. “Ah, you’re awake, brother.“ He was glad to see his older brother was alive. “What happened?” The NVA soldier asked, holding his head in pain. “Well, one of our snipers reported a vehicle closing in, not knowing it was a NVA truck and opened fire. When we saw you, we took you in to patch you up. I guess you wanted to take Petunia home?” Dung slightly panicked as he noticed she wasn’t with him. “Where is she? Don’t tell me she-“ The NLF fighter held his hand up, trying to calm his brother down. “Calm down, she survived. But…” “But what?” The private was worried about her. “My new commander doesn’t trust in the NVA. As such, she’s in a cell. You got treated as he doesn’t want that the North cutting our supplies by holding one of their soldiers as prisoner.” Dang had regret in his voice. “Can…Can I see her?” The soldier asked with hope. “Follow me.” His younger brother said, leading him to the cells. Dung noticed that most guerillas gave him a suspicious look, only a few seemed to not pay attention to him as they moved past. What he saw next broke his heart. Apart from the poor child, there were four other prisoners. His brother Hoang who patted the filly as she cried into his chest, King, Jesper and Dan. The AVRN soldier had his head lowered, then looked up, surprised to see his older brother. “Dung, what are you doing here?” “It’s kind of a long story.” With that, he told his brothers and friends what had happened to her and so on. “Poor kid. She was really lucky.” Dan looked with Sympathy at Petunia. “And if it is true about the NLF attacking our home, than we can only pray that mother will be safe.” Hoang was worried for her safety. “I can’t believe it! Our village was spared from the war for so long and now this? I didn’t join to destroy my home, but to ensure we could be reunited again!” Dang was disgusted. “Who said it would be the NLF forces you belong to, it would be any other of the VC troops in the area.” King countered. “Yeah. How did you five end up here?” Dung asked his brother and the US soldiers. Ethan took the word, “Well, due to the misfired missile, we got disoriented, yet managed to retreat, but got separated from the others. Before we knew it, we were surrounded by Viet Cong forces. It’s been a few days since then. I don’t want to imagine how my family feels upon hearing that I’m MIA or even KIA.” He looked worried to the ground. “I hear ya. I felt exactly the same way about my brothers when I came to Hanoi.” He had sympathy for the Army soldier. “I keep them fed since then. And I promise, I will find a way to get you all out of here and to safety.” Dang said to the prisoners, sounding very honest. “Are you sure, Dang? I don’t want to lose you.” Hoang said “We made a promise nine years ago and I will keep it no matter what!” His brother exclaimed. “I don’t want to interrupt but can you take me to your commander? I would like to have a word with him.” “Uh, sure thing Dung, I had an order to bring you to him once you woke up.” Dang replied. He led Dung to his commander, who was studying a map on the wall. “Sir, he’s awake.” The officer turned around, he had a beard, grey hair and brown eyes. “Good. What were you doing so far from the North?” He asked Dung, his expression neutral and his voice without any emotion. “Well, the filly in the prison cell, I had an order to bring her to a safe place in the south. As such, I request her release so I can complete my order.” He replied. “I’m afraid this won’t be possible. I don’t have much trust in you NVA guys, despite being our allies.” The commander was cold. Dung was disappointed. “If I don’t report in time, they will send a search party after me.” “You will complete your order in time, not just yet, rest for now, I expect an important guest, until he’s gone, stay out of sight.” The NLF commander replied, emotionless. “As you wish.” Dung wasn’t sure if he could trust this man, but he was sure if he would threat him, that this would endanger Petunia’s life. So he walked with his youngest brother back to the cells. “Do you have an idea who this guest could be?” “Not a clue, Dung. But I suspect it must be a very important one. You better stay out of sight when he arrives. I have the feeling that it might be a high-ranking officer from the North or its suppliers and that it might go badly for petty should you try to get him to let Petunia free.” “You’re right, it’s a risk I can’t take. Yet, I’m curious who it could be.” “Me too, guess we just can wait and see.” Dang replied, seeing that the young child had cried herself to sleep. “I don’t know if this makes you feel better, but I have heard the Swamp Devils are wiped out.” Dung thought that could cheer his brother and friends up. Ethan gave the NVA soldier a weak smile. “That is good news, we all lost too many men to those guys already. I don’t want to imagine what they would have done to Petunia.” He shivered at the thought. “Yeah, at least she didn’t get captured by them.” Hoang added as a voice echoed through the corridor. “Mr. Feng. I see you found your way here. I assume you want to discuss matters of war with those who actually understand them.” It was the NLF commander. “Feng?! He’s the guest?” Dang couldn’t believe it. Given that we get supplied by the Chinese, it makes sense that somebody like him would be sent to us. Let’s hear why he is here but remember, stay out of sight, not that things will go bad for Petunia.” Dang reminded him. “Right.” They moved closer, staying out of sight as the officer and Chinese had a conversation. “I hope the weapons and provisions my men have stocked your troops with will aid you, captain. I stopped by an orchard I used to spend a lot of my childhood to pick some rather nice plums I always like to share with my good friends.” He produced a small bowl of them. “They are most sweet and help move the bowels. Do try one.” The Chinese sounded slightly friendly, his smile was barely noticeable. The Commander was unsmiling “...I'm not your good friend, my bowels work fine and your plums don't interest me half as much as your reasons for being here.” Feng thought for a moment. “Hm...perceptive. It seems the Chairman was right to observe your people closely. Very well. I come bearing news that concerns you and your troops on the frontier. My...sources have informed me that the American troops plan on raiding a village several miles west of Ngai Giao, working under suspicion that the local villagers are supplying us. Their orders are to forcibly seize all munitions, which will likely descend into a full-on massacre of the village the instant someone looks at them the wrong way.” “Then we must move to protect it, set up an ambush on the road and...” “Yes, yes, so it would seem. However...” “What do you mean however? These people are in danger.” The NLF leader did not understand, his expression one of confusion. “Yes but they're not our people. The Americans have been misinformed. The munitions they're looking for are in a completely different province. The people of this village are not supplying us at all. Most of them don't even support us. So we have no real reason to leap to their aid and the more practical course of action would be to wait until the enemy has finished, helping themselves to the spoils as it were, and catch them unaware.” Feng explained, his expression neutral. “...Have you no shred of compassion?!” The officer yelled, disgusted by him. Feng stayed calm, almost smirking. “Of course. A shred. That's all we can afford in this business.” “If you think I'm going to let innocent people be slaughtered...” The NLF commander slowly lost his patience. “Yes, I do think that. That's what war is. It's not meant to be easy and if you can't get used to that, you clearly weren't meant to be a soldier.” “Now you listen here, Feng...” The elderly man replied, his expression was one of disgust. “No, you listen. If you think I'm doing this just because I'm uncaring, you're wrong. My cares go far greater than you can imagine. You don't know what's at stake.” He pulled out an old photo of several American politicians in discussion. “Mean anything to you? There was silence for several moments until the VC shook his head. “Didn't think so. I will illuminate. In a weeks time, a bill is passed through the US Congress to determine whether or not its nation can and wishes to increase its spending on its continued hostilities in Vietnam. If it's carried, your frontier will become a bloodbath. We're not just talking guns and fighter jets. The Americans will overwhelm you. Tanks, missiles, firebombs, nerve gas, maybe even one or two of their beloved nuclear warheads. Your men are fighting well, but against such odds, they will fall in days and the foe will continue advancing until the streets of Hanoi are awash with the blood of your fighting men's families.” Feng countered calmly, not impressed. The leader was confused. “...What does this have to do with the village?” “Heavens give me strength, is it not obvious?! Public opinion is everything to the West and that's drying up. The youth of America have observed their war for what it is, a shameful string of atrocities and perversions carried out upon the innocent. One more tale of horror and gore in the headlines will be enough to overturn the bill for the sake of popular appeal, leaving their troops to take the fall for the deeds that shamed their nation. In order to save your men, that village must burn. And the world must see it burn.” Feng explained. “Would you do the same if it were a Chinese village?” The commander asked in return. Without pausing, the Chinese replied, “Of course, without hesitation. China is rather large, if you haven't noticed.” The elderly man was disgusted upon hearing this”...Wh...What?” “For heaven’s sake, use your head! What do you consider worse? A few dozen dead in an hour or millions dead over a decade? Yes, war is a dreadful thing, but I rather thought you and your men had learned that by now.” Feng countered. The NLF soldier stared down, horrified at the fact he's even considering it. “...Supposing...” He tried to come up with an answer. “Yes?” “...Supposing we let the attack happen...but come in before they're finished...save as many as we can.” The VC figured out. “I suppose that wouldn't make all that much difference. Regardless, brutality must ensue and the results must be made as public as possible. Raise support for our cause, valiantly protecting the old men, women and children of your beloved homeland from this bloodthirsty horde, against all the odds.” “My cause, Mr. Feng...Not yours.” The VC reminded him. “As you say. We must all do what we must...For a greater good.” Feng replied, cold. “Is that it? Dozens slaughtered while we sit here? Is that all this is to you, Feng? Politics?” The commander was disgusted of this. Casually, Feng said, “Our Chairman Mao said it best. 'Politics is essentially war without bloodshed'...and even then, that's not always the case.” The two brothers didn’t hear the rest of the conversation as they went back to the cells, trying to process what Feng had said. “I can’t believe what I just heard. Feng… he would…” Dang mumbled in disbelief. Dung replied, “I know a bit about him, he’s a clever man that knows how to achieve his goals only by words. He talks only like that to convince others.” “I hope you are right. If he’s responsible for the attack on our home, then…” Dang sounded worried, his expression with a slight hint of anger. “He wouldn’t do that, he would be risking to lose our father’s support in that regard.” Yet the NVA soldier was unsure about this. “Ah, good that I find you here. We are moving out.” Both men startled at the voice of the commander from behind. “Sir, what about the prisoners?” Dang asked, hoping he could get at least Petunia to safety. “You stay here and guard them.” Then, he pointed to Dung. “You and your little friend can go now.” “Thank you.” While the NVA private was glad about it, he couldn’t leave his brother Hoang and friends behind. After the other guerrillas had moved out, Dang opened the cell door, to Hoang’s and the US soldiers’ surprise, he brought them also their weapons. “I won’t leave any of you behind.” “Appreciated, but you risk being marked as a traitor.” Hoang replied with concern for his younger brother, his expression showed worry. “I told you, I’ll keep my promise, no matter what. Plus you could use someone that can lead you past booby-traps through the jungle.” Dang replied with a determined tone, wrapping a sash of red, cyan and yellow around his right shoulder, giving him the look of a freelance guerrilla to avoid suspicion. “Thank you!” Petunia hugged him with tears of joy. The young man smiled. “No need to thank, petty, I will keep you safe with my life.” He led them outside to a large clearing, noticing a bulk helicopter looking similar to the Mi-8 in the middle, two soldiers in wood camouflage uniforms and having black balaclavas covering their heads were doing maintenance work on the chopper. The NVA, NLF and US soldiers had never seen this kind of helicopter before but could tell this was also built by the soviets and the 2 soldiers next to it belonged to the Spetsnaz, the elite special operations group of the Russian military. “Grip on the stabilizer is jamming.” The first soviet soldier said to his comrade. “Make it fast. We have been ordered to return to base.” The other replied. “I need at least ten minutes.” Ethan breathed heavily. “That chopper is our ride out of here. Fire when ready.” He and Hoang took aim, Petunia looked away as they fired, taking the soviets out. Then they all inspected the chopper. “Looks like a combination of gunship and low-capacity troop transport, capable of transporting up to eight fully-armed soldiers. Smart idea, I give them that.” King commented. Dang asked him, “Can you fly this chopper and land it?” “Surely you can't be serious.” King replied. “I am serious ... and don't call me Shirley.” The former pilot smiled. “I can fly anything!” He took the pilot seat, Hoang the gunner seat, while the others took the passenger seats in the back. “Ok, what's our loadout? UV-32 rockets...12mm nose cannon...They are ready for World War 3.” Ethan was impressed. “Chain load systems on the 32's.” Hoang was impressed too. “Rotor's on.” King flicked a switch on the left side of his dashboard. “UV-32's assigned.” Then he flicked a switch on the other side. “12mm cannon assigned.” “We have full power. You ready?” While the ARVN soldier had no experience in flying helicopters, Ethan had shown him once how a chopper worked. “Ready.” The Army soldier took the helicopter into the air. While the chopper flew towards the south, Petunia let out a sigh of relief, closing her eyes, falling asleep in Dung’s arms, he and the others smiled at the cute sight. The filly had lost track of time, waking up after a few hours she suspected. Suddenly, the helicopter was filled with a loud, incessant beeping as the lights around the monitor flashed wildly. “A missile?!” King yelled in surprise, trying to take evasive action, Hoang looked around with an almost panicked expression, trying to spot it, “What’s going on?” Paleo asked, scared, looking at the NVA soldier for answers as the others toughened their grips. “I don’t know!” he yelled before a loud explosion caused everyone to lose their balance, getting thrown around, the smell of smoke and fire entered their noses as they tried to hold on something. “I don’t want to die!” the filly panicked. Dung managed to clutch Petunia protectively as the chopper came closer to the ground, King tried to make the landing as smooth as possible but the controls weren’t responding anymore. Then there was the impact, the force of it was so great that there was nothing but pain, then a void of total blackness took over. The ARVN private woke up with a blurry vision, crawling out of the wreck, seeing the others unconscious, but unharmed around the wreck. Then he saw two men carrying Petunia away, He couldn’t see them directly due the vagueness, but could swear they were wearing US uniforms, due the same color as his US friends. He drew his M1911, aiming at them, pulling the trigger, the pistol made only clicking noises before another man kicked it out of his hand. Another two men walked to him, the first was taller than the others, having enormous muscles, but that was everything he could see with his blurry vision but his hearing slowly cleared. “Well, well, well, looks like another successful hunt!” The tall man sounded very satisfied. Hoang couldn’t think about who they were before the other man stomped on him, knocking him out.