GATE: Thus The JSDF & USMC Fought There!

Ch 35: Keep Fallin' up

Date: March, 2024

Maverick's Pov

Alnus Hill: Liberty-Prime Base, outside the Base Hospital

After the loss of Williams, we took Noriko and Ann to the base hospital where a medical team is waiting for them and also myself, Itami, Mina, Shino, David, and Kurata to give us a full check. Yanagida and the generals were waiting there as well at the time. General Towson, Sarah, Han, Svetlana, and I gave a full report and... the news of Lance-Corporal, Benjamin Williams death.

After that, the base and the Russian/Chinese base were on lockdown, a curfew was made, and patrols were tripled with guard dogs and and HUMVEEs with either Mark 19s or M134 Miniguns. 

But man... after two weeks and all that. It still feels like it was yesterday.

Right now I and others were just discharged from the hospital. Hazama and Baker gave us along with the rest of all the Deep Recon and Surveillance units four weeks off.

Mina is still with Noriko to keep the girl company and Anthony is with Ann.

It was when Yanagida and Mina told us the the Noriko's family was looking for her in Ginza, and they were killed during the attack. Things just keep getting better and better don't they, the Docs did some blood work on Noriko when she asked Mina, Mrs. Takahashi, and Itami if she could call home. For her mentally, they gave her a half-truth, saying that they haven't set up a civilian phone line and they had to keep her under quarantine for a while. We to tell the others to keep it quiet about Noriko's family for now.

She and Ann did came out their rooms with an IV hooked to their arms to thank us again for saving them.

Right now I sat on a bench and started fishing in my pocket for something that use for situations like this... and pull out a carton of Newport cigs and a lighter. I open the box and pull out a cig. I light the thing and start puffing away. This is the first time I smoked one since Afganistan and the last time was a year before.

I'm not a heavy smoker but when things get rough, I have a cig or a stick of gum.

??: Hey...

I look to my left to see Itami.

Me: Hey...

Itami: Mind if I..?

I nod my head as Itami took a seat next to me. I offer him a cig and he didn't ask nor denied it as he took a stick and I gave my lighter to him as he lit the cig and started puffing.

I noticed that Itami hasn't shaved or cut his hair in a while. He looks more like a homeless dude than a soldier. I can't talk, I didn't shave and cut my hair either.

We both felt like shit, hell I'm surprise that we haven't went AWOL after all the shit that's happened.

Itami: We've been through alot huh.

Me: Yeah, the day we landed here. I'm surprised you didn't transfer out of here like a good amount of the JSDF did on the first couple of days here.

Itami: True. As we aren't experienced like the Americans or Russians. But then again, we had a lot more time than you did. But, it wasn't just because I wasn't scared, or didn't have a family. It was... a feeling that I just can't shake. Like this place had a purpose or something. And if you don't mind me asking, what was your reason for staying here?

I took a long drag, the nicotine buzzing through my veins. I let the smoke fill my lungs, enjoying the rush. I let out the smoke.

Me: When I was 15. I saw a documentary about the Vietnam War, the one with the Tet Offensive. You know, the one where the VC launched the most important battle of the entire war and the one that really changed how the US fought in that country. Well, when I watched that. I thought about those soldiers and marines in those rice fields and urban cities fighting a guerrilla war. And that's the exact same thing we're somewhat facing here, just replace the Cong with the Saderans. And it's just... I'm not going to leave my buddies, especially now after what we've been through and the people we've lost.