Not Quite a Fair Fight

After supper "Herbie" took off with Coche, his outrigger was lashed to the deck. As planned, they returned two days later, when "Tuska" was there. Coche was not alone, but it was not quite as planned. Irene arranged a meeting to hear the story.

There had been some drama in terms of the girl. Coche thought Jeoji loved him. But she was attractive and, in the year since she last saw Coche, three local men who seemed well-off and very attractive made offers. The three were constantly trying to outdo each other, and they had the advantage of keeping Jeoji close to her mother and family.

However, Jeoji had a younger sister Teti, who was unlikely to marry any local because her reputation was blemished by something that happened when she was a tween. No local man would have her and she hated the idea of a life in the village. She did like Coche. She was 19 and was ready to marry. So the sisters plotted for Coche to take Teti as his bride.

The younger girl's face was not as beautiful as Jeoji, but she was pretty enough. While Coche was there the sisters arranged for him to see her at her best advantage, his eyes lingered on a rear side glimpse Teti's nude body coming from the shower. Teti was taller and stronger than her sister. When she turned her head and smiled at him her round bottom and a flash of pert sideboob sealed the deal. The parents were not consulted.

"Bait and Switch" is one of the oldest plot twists in stories from cultures around the world. She was already packed so the boy didn't have time to see how he had been played.

Coche and Teti paddled away from the village just in time. When they were still in sight of the village, Coche spotted both "Herbie" and the fishing boat. A family member on the fishing crew spotted Teti's tall figure so they turned to intercept at 15 knots. But the cigarette boat was a lot faster, it jumped half out of the water, hitting 70 knots to arrive at the outrigger with plenty of spare time. Coche, the girl, and their outrigger were casually hauled aboard "Herbie" while the struggling trawler tried to close the gap. When the trawler kept coming somebody on "Herbie" showed them a tube, then pulled out the back like an extension so it looked like an M72 LAW rocket launcher. That slowed the trawler down in a hurry. Losing the trawler and the catch was far to dangerous to risk.

Coche had never sailed out-of-sight of the land, but for the return "Herbie" took a direct route, saving time arriving at the anchorage where "King" and now "Tuska" waited. They arrived around Noon Friday August 22.

The fishing boat, with a full load of fish to sell, gave up the chase as a waste of fuel - and out of fear that they might actually come close to the fast boat, which was when bad things happened. When the fishing boat got to the village the crew shared the story of how Coche and Teti got on the "fast expensive boat" that was waiting for them. It was the type of boat drug smugglers and gun runners use. The mention of an "fast expensive boat" led Jeoji to doubt - for the rest of her life - the wisdom of the choice she made for herself in terms of a husband. She knew that successful bad people lived in very nice houses.

Suddenly the faults of her other three suitors, all local fishermen, were evident. Jeoji realized how she would spend her life cleaning fish in the village, as well as tending to her parents and her husband's parents. She imagined her sister living in a resort with air conditioning, fine fresh food every day, machines to clean clothes and dishes, a TV, and vacation trips to other resorts.

Life was so unfair.

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Chapter 4. Tuska Sails

Compiled by Irene in part from the logs of Captain-Monsignor Angel on "Tuska."

Before the "Tuska" sailed from LA for the Yucatan, the nerds on board were already busy setting up their computer/communication/drone center and honing their skills. All were excellent drone pilots, at sea their "graduation exercise" was a flight plan that ended by landing a high speed drone in the open drive-on/drive-off "side door" of the ship while it was under way. There were 5 young pilots who accomplished this feat with the small high speed drones. Other nerds worked on computer, communication, radar and navigation suites. This equipment that made up the command center took up the largest room above "Tuska's" main deck, just below the bridge.

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In Panama, besides picking up Martin and Irene, the ship picked up a pair of the valuable Red Cloud drones and an ultra-light amphibian aircraft which could carry 2 people.

The aircraft was a Polaris AM-FIB (for Amphibian), a well-balanced combination of a lightweight boat fitted with a large hang-glider wing plus a pusher propeller, creating a legal ultralight aircraft that can operate from the water with two people aboard. It is a clever, well considered design worthy of James Bond.

After they exited the canal most of the nerd's flight practice was with the large long-endurance Red Clouds, which could exhaust several pilots during a long mission. Red Clouds were lighter-than-air balloons with wings, they used high-power fueled engines (from RC aircraft) to get over a target quickly. The wings gave lift to haul the fuel burned in the first stage of a flight - up to 30 miles with no winds. However, once stopped the fuel-burning engine could not be restarted in flight. On station the balloons could loiter for many hours using silent electric engines to keep position. The Red Clouds were large, but silent overhead, they were painted to blend with the sky.

Their big downside was that they had to find favorable winds or a safe location to land after a mission. The electric motors could hold station without using much power but could not move too far against the wind, so plotting out the initial 'burn' for the flight was critical.

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When "Tuska" approached the bay a fast drone was dispatched from "King" to follow the gravel road to see if anyone had arrived at the Aztex site or was coming on the road. After circling the parking lot and the field the drone continued to the junction of the road and the paved highway. There it was landed so the camera would show any traffic that turned down the road. This drone was painted to blend with the ground and would be recovered after the party.

Friday August 22, a few hours after the drone showed no activity on the road or at the camp, "Tuska" arrived on station, it passed about 5 miles from the quay and launched a Red Cloud on a photo mission, taking pictures with both a medium resolution digital camera and a high resolution film camera of the road from the quay to the camp. Then it dropped down to take detailed low-level film pictures that would be used to produce a map of the entire Aztex camp. Next it rose higher and began to take pictures of the marsh from the planned mortar areas to the sea. It completed the photo run and returned with the film to "Tuska" which was waiting offshore from the marsh. The Aztex crew preparing the grounds was scheduled to arrive Friday afternoon.

The film pictures provided a large, very detailed map of the Aztex camp.

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During the afternoon "Herbie," now with Coche and Teti aboard, joined "Tuska" at sea. The command staff had many questions for Coche. After first insuring that the girl was of age and willing their biggest question was a route through the marsh to a firing position. They could not tell Coche they were going to shell the Aztexs, so they posed the question as historical research, as if looking to find another Mayan site located in the swamp. They said they had copies of Vatican documents from the 1500's that showed a port used by the Mayans and the Spanish to reach the pyramid. The old port was in what was now the swamp.

They talked about how much the Caribbean had changed in the last 500 years. For instance, Port Royal was founded two years after Columbus first landed in the New World. That city was once the center of trade in the region until an earthquake and tsunami wiped it out and sank it under the sea 200 years later, taking it so completely that we don't know exactly where it sat. (In fact, the sand on which the city rested became saturated similar to quicksand and flowed like water into the bay after being shaken by the quake, taking the city with it. Since the ground moved the actual location really can't be settled with certainty.) No matter, the harbor is so good for ships that modern Kingstown was built on another side of the same harbor, where it will share Port Royal's fate some day. It is a sign of how humans adapt... or don't. At that location earthquakes and tsunami's regularly try to take that new city beneath the waves, and the locals selling "Port Royal" souvenirs act surprised each time "an unexpected disaster" happens.

The master of the "Tuska," like the masters of the Cousin's other ships, was addressed as "Monsignor." This practice dated back to the formation of the shipping company by Bishop Foxe in the 1500's. Coche understood the term so the Monsignor's presence lent some credence to this as a legitimate Vatican project. (To be clear, it wasn't.) The bishop originally selected the term for this very reason. Irene took the lead in most discussions. Captain Martin, who can be intimidating, was not in the room, but was listening.

Coche was very open in providing information to what was described as a "preliminary survey."

First Coche was asked about the history of the area. He explained that when the Spanish came the land was different, they cleared the land and farmed the area. That meant taking the trees from what is now the marsh. The land was higher, hence dryer. There was good water from a river. Then, about 150 years ago, there was an earthquake that changed the landscape. An irregular area about 10 miles deep and 7 miles wide sank or eroded significantly, creating the marsh. (Presumably a layer of sand under the soil was saturated by the river and moved to sea, dropping the land.) Today most of the marsh is within a few inches, plus or minus, of sea level at high tide. The river was swallowed completely, going underground 10 miles inland. Quickly the sunken land turned into a tropical swamp or marsh where the thorny plants were very dense, choking all else. In the dense brush spiders and snakes became dominant, nothing larger could pass.

Coche knew ecology. "Bird who eat fish cannot nest in the swamp among the thorns. There are no trees. Why should they, when there are better places just a few miles away? Without bird droppings other plants will not grow, so again, the marsh wins."

At the same time some of the adjacent land north of the marshland rose. The unpaved road from the highway to the sea quay was built right on a fault line that rose to 5 or 10 feet above sea level, forming almost a ridge line. That provided a natural roadbed to the quay which the town nearby needed during their Spring fishing runs. The forest on the other side of the road was on higher ground, in the past it was useless as farmland because it lacked good water, so the Yucatan essentially reclaimed the entire area of the old farm as more typical jungle.

(Tony had previously explained that the forest to the north was thick with large trees and no natural trails, so it was effectively impassable for the light tank and the APC at night. The thick canopy of the trees made mortar fire difficult. The mortars had to be fired from the swamp, which could be navigated by the APC. The marsh also protected the mortars from any chance of discovery and counter-attacks by the Aztexs or anybody else without a tracked vehicle like the M-113. Also, the M-113 mounted an M-19 belt-fed grenade launcher if anyone did get through on a Moon tractor or something.)

Coche explained his walks. "Most of the time the sunken land is impassible. But during the coldest part of the dry season the creatures hibernate, the plants rest, and some of the land can be hiked if you wear heavy leather chaps and boots. Long before I was born some college students found the earthen pyramid, which the spirits protected from the earthquake. My people abandoned it, they could not cope with the thorns and crawlies, they considered it cursed, a victory by dark spirits. But the gringos made the deal, then they brought heavy tractors, which cleared and poisoned the cursed swampland here," he pointed to the party area, "and the higher ground here" he pointed to the parking lot. "They brought in soil, planted grass in the party area and laid the gravel lot. They have their wild parties twice a year. Prior to each gathering they prepare the site with all sorts of poisons, in fact they are probably doing that now with their tractors. It is why my people left their resort for the family gathering, when the wind is right it carried poison so birds drop in flight. It keeps our own bugs down."

Irene asked about entering the swamp at this time of year.

He replied, "You could not walk or drive, the jungle will trap you. Also, it is a swamp, so the mud will impede every step. Plus the spiders, snakes and other hazards cannot be overcome without a protection suit."

"What if one had a tracked vehicle, like a bulldozer?" Coche understood the reference, he knew what it was. "If we stayed on the firmer ground could we travel? Is their a trail of firmer ground?" Irene asked.

"It would be better at another time, when it is not so warm and the plants rest. But yes, it is possible. I could draw you a map, the very muddy areas can be avoided if you know what to look for because the plants are different."

Irene expected this, she had a book showing plants from the area. Quickly Coche marked green (high ground), yellow (approaching danger) and red (mud) zones based on his knowledge and the plants.

Irene drew a small arc on the map, indicating mortar range from the pyramid, to the seaward side of the party area. "We are looking for a spot on this line as a base. Could you map the best path from the sea to any point on this arc? We can't go through the area where they are working because of the poison and the crazy people with guns. We will scout tomorrow or Monday." She implied use of the drones.

There were landmarks Coche noted like a clump of bushes which indicated higher ground. With the aerial photos from the drones Coche could not see the ground, but he had been in a area enough that with time, comparing what he knew with what he saw in the pictures from the air, he was able to come up with a map that he thought would work. It was not a straight line, more like a golf course with a lot of rough, sand, water and trees, but it was not too long and it avoided some low spots where the M-113 might be trapped. Still, he was not confident about all of it, he advised moving slowly.

"Could you map it better with better pictures?" Irene asked. "They are being prepared as we speak."

Coche said he could.

While he was on "Tuska," Coche had no chance to see any weapons or military vehicles, they were all below deck in the hold. All he saw were two rebuilt WW2-era jeeps the ship carried for delivery in some more primitive ports of call. He also saw few people. Still, from the way people carried themselves, he was pretty sure that some sort of military operation was planned. He indirectly asked Irene about his suspicions. She did not confirm or deny anything, but said that he and his future wife would have a better life if they did not know any more.

Coche knew that narco cartel forces plague every aspect of life in Mexico, so Irene did not have to stretch to make the point.

After that Coche mentioned that the Aztex parties involved ugly behavior and screams of agony. He would be happier if "his people" could reclaim the land. The Monsignor agreed, that might be better for all if the land belonged to the original owners. Irene agreed, but stressed that he would not want to return to the area until well after the hurricane season. Also, when he left she gave him a hand radio unit that could reach them as long as they were in the area, "in case he remembered anything, or if she had any questions." The radio was best hidden from others, and should be disposed of at sea "in a few weeks." If the authorities or others found it there would be many uncomfortable questions.

Irene said they would speak again, but for now Coche and Teti had a meal with his friends on the fast boat who save his life. They would spend the night there, although the tiny bunks could not accommodate two adults, no matter how they were entwined.

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Chapter 5. A Close Look

by Tony

On Friday August 22, just before sundown I was summoned to a cabin near the bridge.

I had spent a long hot day, over 12 hours, first working on getting the various drones ready, then in the hold attaching the outrigger floats and loading ammo onto the two tracked vehicles. Attaching the floats is easy on the beach, because of the drive-on arrangement. But inside the hold, where space is tight, on a steel deck, moving the tank is a lot trickier, a small mistake could damage the ship, the floats and the vehicle. We had no spares for any of it.

The point is that I was dirty and sweating as I approached the door. When I knocked I heard a single word that sounded like "enter" so I went in closing the door behind me. It took me a moment to adjust, most of the room was filled with tables pushed together covered in maps and charts, there was barely room to walk around it. A few chairs were on one side, but no bed. In the corner of the room was a small shower stall.

Irene stepped out of the shower stall, she quite naked.

I have not been in the military, so I really don't know how to react to a naked superior officer of the opposite sex who was completely out of uniform. The troopers use co-ed showers and we have been together for a time, plus most of the guys and girls have spouses or sweethearts at home, so there is a "nudist family" feeling among the troops.

This didn't feel like family. Irene and I had seen each other naked when I came in, before this got all military. In fact, she watched me fucking Nia and seemed pleased with my efforts to satisfy her friend.

My body had a reaction, and I was not sure what to do with that.

"Tony," she did not address me "trooper," which was how she addressed all the troops including me since we arrived at the training facility. "Come on in. I was about to take a shower and wondered if you wanted to share it with me before we go over the map."

Showers on the ship are strictly limited to 5 minutes, even for the Captain, there is a timer on each shower head. You can stop the timer and the water, the idea is that you get wet, stop to soap up, then turn on the water again to rinse off. Most troops are encouraged to take showers in groups and alternate under the water.

The official policy is to shower every day, but not to use any water.

It was a very small shower stall.

"Could I come back a little later?" I really did not know how to say it in a military manner. "I'm kind of... well I'm..."

She replied, "I should certainly hope so, I recall how long it has been for you since Nia and there is no privacy on a crowded ship."

I did not seem relaxed.

She explained a bit more. "Look, I am aware you are non-military, the only non-military over 22 in this little task force. Because of how we met, a degree of informality is reasonable when we are alone in my quarters. I know you have been wrestling with an ornery 15 ton tank, so I figured a shower might be good for all concerned." She had that right.

She smiled for the next bit. "Get undressed and don't worry about stowing your weapon. I have seen it in action, but you can rest assured it will not be called upon here. Now, join me. Please? That makes it a request, not an order." She stepped in to start the water.

It is a sin to waste hot water on the ship so I jumped out of my clothes. In the shower she washed my back, then I washed hers. Then she sighed and raised her arms with her back to me, inviting my hand to rub over her sides, with my fingers stopping for a moment at her breasts. My fingers touching her nipples for just a moment brought a satisfied sigh and a quiet "thank you." She leaned back against me and could feel me stiffen. But that was as far as the deliberate contact went. There was plenty of non-deliberate contact, she washed everything and so did I. Maybe some of the accidental contact was intended, it was all nice. After the long tough day the water was surprisingly relaxing.