Just a warning I'm workong at AnimeFEsst this weekend and so this will be the last update until at least turesday.
Sorry!
The Devil Inside
Chapter 12
Kyouko frowned as she took her seat in the aircraft. She felt a little trepidation since she had never flown before, but Kaname had assured her there was nothing to worry about. Speaking of the blue-haired girl, Kyouko craned her neck to watch as her friend directed her classmates to their seats and insured she had an accurate head count. Still, there was something off about her friend today. She was acting strange.
?Ah.? Kaname sighed as she sank into her seat next to Kyouko, it was on the aisle so her classmates, and Kawakawa-Sensei, could find her if they needed her. ?I?ll be glad when we get there. I?m already worn out.? Her head plopped against the headrest and Kaname stared dazedly ahead.
Kyouko sat up and looked around the aircraft cabin to see where everybody else was. She saw Crispin several rows forward on the opposite side of the aircraft. He too was in an aisle seat. She also spotted Sousuke talking with Kazama several rows back from her and Kaname?s seats. She plopped back down and noticed her friend?s far away gaze. She grinned and poked her. When she got no reaction she poked Kaname again, this time in the face.
?W-what is it Kyouko?? Kaname finally blinked and looked at her friend.
?Are you okay? You?ve been acting really weird since yesterday.? She peered at her friend worriedly. ?Does it have to do with Sousuke??
?What? That loser?? Unbidden the blue-haired girl recalled the image of Sousuke sitting on her balcony. ?HA! Like I?d have anything to do with THAT maniac.? Ironically, Kaname was almost maniacal as she laughed.
?Alright, I?ll change the subject.? Kyouko sighed in disappointment. She looked back up and clasped her hands together. ?Will you switch seats with me, Kaname? Please!?
?Switch, why?? Kaname regarded her friend speculatively. ?I thought you?d want to be close to the window. And besides I need to be here in case something comes up.? She shrugged in apology.
?Come on Kaname!? Kyouko begged. ?It?s not that a big a deal. We can switch back before we land. Please?? She starred pleadingly at her friend.
?Okay.? Kaname sighed and got up. ?If it means that much to you.?
?Yay! Thanks Kaname!? Kyouko beamed.
As the two girls switched seats. Kaname noticed Sousuke starring at her from his seat several rows back. She pointedly turned away from the black-haired boy and sat back down in a huff. ?He keeps me in the dark and follows me around like some perverted stalker!? The blue-haired girl thought in anger, ?And it turns out he really is just a pervert! ARGH!?
Kyouko looked at her friend in concern, but when Kaname said nothing she turned her attention to Crispin sitting up ahead. The stocky American appeared to be reading a book of some kind.
**
Crispin yawned as he turned the page on The Illustrated Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking. The AS mechanic had to admit he was impressed with the clarity of thought exhibited by the author. No pretentious posturing or high handedness was present in the work. Just the facts and hypothesis laid bare for the reader to pick up on their own. ?This is more like it.? Crispin thought with a sigh. ?Mithril could take a lesson from this guy.?
?Hey what?d you do to Nokigawa in class four?? The boy to Crispin?s right suddenly interrupted his reading.
?What are you talking about?? Crispin looked up in irritation. He had been enjoying himself for once.
?Oh come on.? The boy explained. ?He looked white as a sheet during lineup back at the terminal, and every time he saw you he?d flinch.?
Crispin starred at the boy a long time. Finally he smiled dangerously and the boy gulped. ?Do you really want to know?? Crispin asked. At the boy?s hesitant nod he continued, ?If you don?t stop bothering me, you?re going to find out.? At the boy?s wide-eyed look, he chuckled evilly and returned to his book.
The boy didn?t speak to him the rest of the trip.
**
?Hey, Sousuke, check this out!? Shinji pointed at a drawing in one of his books. ?It?s an artist?s rendering of the next-generation AS!?
Sousuke peered at the picture. He was impressed to see a fairly accurate drawing of the M9. Details were wrong of course, mainly in the joint articulation, imbedded weapon?s placements, and the optic design, but it was close to the real thing. ?That?s very good. How were they able to come up with such a drawing??
?This is an old issue of AS Fan. A couple of month back, when some of the specs were released on the prototype M9. They held an art contest to see what AS fans thought it?d look like. This is one of the winners. Isn?t it cool?? Shinji proudly thrust the magazine into Sousuke?s hands.
?I admit it is an excellent drawing.? Sousuke said. ?But do you really think that it will have that limited movement in the joints?? The arms of the ?M9? looked rather bulky with a cannon emplacement instead of an actually limb on the right side.
?You could be right.? Shinji admitted. ?This is just an artist?s guess of what it?ll look like when it?s finally commissioned. I remember my dad telling me how everyone misguessed what the F-117 would look like when it was being developed.? He shrugged. ?We?ll just have to wait and see.?
?Yes, I suppose we will.? Sousuke smiled and returned the magazine to Shinji. ?I wish I had thought to bring some of my own collection. I?m sure you would find it fascinating.? In truth, the bulk of Sousuke?s collection was in his quarters on the Tuatha de Danaan, but Shinji did not need to know that.
?Don?t worry about it. I?m just glad you like my stuff. I?m sure your collection is ten times better!? Shinji enthused. ?Besides, it?s the least I can do after ?you know.? He shrugged sheepishly.
?This isn?t the first time they?ve tried this shit!? Crispin?s words from last night echoed in the Mithril?s sergeants mind.
Sousuke frowned and looked up. He could barely make out the back of Kaname?s head as she chatted with her friend. For some reason he felt his jaw tighten in anger at the mechanic?s words and that bothered him- a lot.
He was a professional. He was not supposed to get emotional about the mission. He had even lectured Kurz on that point just last night. Yet, here he was... angry at the thought of some high-school boys bothering Kaname.
?They said she deserved it!?
Sousuke?s hands clenched and his knuckles turned white as the rest of Daniels?s tirade reverberated in his mind. The Mithril sergeant was shocked at the anger he felt. Not even Daniels provoked this kind of reaction out of him. At that moment, Sousuke wished he could put his hands around the photo club president?s throat!
?Sousuke?? Shinji asked worriedly. ?You alright??
Sousuke blinked at the boy?s question. With a start he looked at his fists curled on his knees and slowly willed himself to relax. After nearly a minute he turned to Shinji, ?Yes, I?m fine. Thank you for your concern.?
?You sure? Your look awfully red in the face.? Shinji pointed out dubiously.
?I do?? Sousuke blinked in surprise. At Shinji?s nod he frowned. ?I? just need to use the latrine. Excuse me.? He stood up and walked toward the rear bathroom of the plane.
?Latrine?? Shinji blinked as the sergeant walked away. ?He?s more of a military geek than I am.? He chuckled and returned to his magazine.
**
Kaname groaned as she stepped out of the Naha airport terminal. The Okinawan
sun beat down relentlessly and the humidity was awful. The air was thick and damp and hung over the blue-haired girl like a blanket. Of course, she and her class had been warned about the ever present humidity, but the warning did nothing to prepare one for the reality.
?Alright, Class two line up!? She called out. Kaname took a quick head count as her classmates stood in line with sweat pouring off them. The humidity was so thick, it was almost tangible. Kaname?s classmates looked miserable and their clothes were already sticking to them.
Kaname frowned as she concluded her head count. They were short one student. ?Sousuke,? She groaned when she realized who was missing. ?Does anybody know were Sousuke is?? She asked her class.
Her classmates muttered and looked around. Shinji Kazama piped up, ?He was collecting the trash from the plane.? The boy looked around in confusion, ?But he should be here by now.?
Kaname felt her face twitch as she growled in frustration. Suddenly the source of her ire came trotting up. ?Where were you?? She rounded on the sergeant in anger.
?I was unsure if you wished to inspect the plane after I had cleaned it. I then had to find an acceptable receptacle for the trash.? He stood stiffly, with his hands clasped at the small of his back as he spoke. ?I apologize for the delay.?
?I?m tired of your excuses! You are such an idiot!? Kaname poked Sousuke?s chest with her banner. ?Stop wasting time and get in line.? As he moved to the line as instructed, Kaname noted with great irritation that Sousuke seemed unbothered by the humidity.
Once everyone was accounted for she reported to the teacher who then instructed her to move the class onto the second shuttle bus waiting to take them to the hotel. Kaname directed her class onto the bus in question. Everyone groaned happily as the shuttle?s air-conditioned interior spared them from the oppressive humidity.
?Kaname,? Kyouko asked as they settled into their seats. ?Don?t you think you?re being a little mean to Sousuke??
?Mean? To that pervert? HA!? Kaname snorted. ?It?s bad enough I have to look at his stupid face the whole trip. Now he?s just trying to make me mad!? She crossed her arms in anger.
?Kaname.? Kyouko said reproachfully. ?Sousuke may be a little weird...? At her friend?s incredulous look she amended, ?Okay really weird, but he?s not stupid. And he wasn?t late just to make you mad. He just wanted to do the best job he could.? She frowned when the blue-haired shrugged. ?A job you forced him to take.? She pointed out.
?W-what?? Kaname gave a start at her best friend?s accusation. ?What do you mean?? She turned away from Kyouko guiltily.
?You know what I mean?? Kyouko sighed and turned away as well.
Kaname glanced back to the object of their discussion. Sousuke was standing in the isle helping some students from another class put away their carry-on bags in the overhead compartment. She bit her lip and turned away before the boy could see her watching. She dropped her head with a petulant sigh. That wasn?t fair Kyouko!
**
Crispin opened his laptop as the shuttle bus began to pull way from the airport. The Mithril corporal had seen Sagara, Kaname, and Kyouko board the second one. He booted up his computer and loaded up one his favorite games Quake III. He took great pleasure in blasting pixilated foes into tiny pieces. He took even greater pleasure as he imagined they all wore the faces of various Mithril personal.
He was interrupted detonating a CG Weber when several students started murmuring in excitement and pointing out the right window. With a sigh, he paused the game and sat up to see what the excitement was all about. Crispin snorted when he saw the shapes of six US Arm Slaves walking across a sparsely vegetated field that appeared to be about a half-mile away. They were clearly visible to the passengers of the shuttle. By the bulky silhouette and clumsy gait, the AS mechanic deduced they must be the so-called new and improved M6s. ?Piece of crap is more like it!? Crispin thought with distaste.
Obviously his fellow students were easily impressed.
He returned to his game and laughed softly as he immolated a virtual Sagara.
**
?That was so cool!? Tears of joy streamed Shinji Kazama?s face as he stepped of the shuttle bus at the hotel where they would be staying. ?A whole Platoon of M6s in formation. I wish I could?ve gotten a better shot than through the window of the bus.? He looked to the heavens and declared. ?This trip can?t get any better!? He turned toward Sousuke who was at his side. ?Hey, Camp Kinser?s not too far from here. Do you think those M6s were from there??
?Probably.? Sousuke nodded. ?I admit it was a very impressive sight.? Observing those M6s made the AS pilot anxious to pilot one. While there was no doubt the M9 was a superior Arm Slave, no weapon system was perfect. And the Mithril Sergeant was curious to see how the two AS?s compared. ?Although I?m surprised they were so close to a civilian highway.? He finally admitted to his friend.
?Who knows,? Shinji shrugged. ?There are so many US military bases on this island I?d be more surprised if we didn?t see at least something.? He added helpfully.
?You may have a point.? Sousuke agreed with the boy?s logic.
**
?Hey Kaname, look at that.? Kyouko tugged on her friend?s uniform sleeve. She had long since got over her earlier disappointment of the blue-haired girl. ?I didn?t know Sousuke and Kazama were friends? Did you??
A look of disgust crossed Kaname?s face as she observed the two military geeks conversing. ?How should I know? And why are you asking me?? She turned toward Kyouko suspiciously.
?You and Sousuke seem to get along so well, I just thought you might know.? Kyouko had a sly grin as she spoke.
?We do not get along!? Kaname seethed. She violently squashed the painful memory of the two boys sitting on her balcony pawing thru her underwear. ?He can drop dead for all I care.? She hissed and turned away. ?And I refuse to talk about that pervert any longer.?
?All right. I understand.? Kyouko sighed. After a moment she asked. ?Uh, Kaname shouldn?t you be lining everyone up or something??
?What? Oh right, yeah, I should get to work.? She laughed nervously as she gathered her wits and proceeded to bring the class into line.
**
?Stupid waste of time.? Crispin muttered as he entered the hotel?s recreation room. It was late afternoon and they had finally been released and were free to do as they pleased. As long as they didn?t leave the hotel grounds that is.
Crispin was dressed in a black t-shirt and jean shorts plus his worn running shoes. Since this was a school trip they were required to wear their uniforms until they had checked into the hotel. After that, the students had an early dinner and were instructed by their teachers about the upcoming itinerary for their stay in sunny Okinawa.
Most of the students had thrown on swim suits and rushed to the hotel?s white beach just outside. While he had to admit the sparkling sand and clear crystal blue water looked impressive he had no desire to frolic like a two-year old with a bunch of whiny teenagers. So here he was in the hotel?s recreation room.
Crispin was impressed as he looked around. There were nearly a dozen arcade games that actually looked interesting. The rec. room also had three pool tables and a large lounge with a wide-screen TV and huge couch. But the thing that caught the mechanic?s eye was?.
?Foosball!? Crispin exclaimed when he spotted the table with its plastic players mounted on eight rods run thru the sides. ?I don?t believe this!? Crispin was beside himself, the de Danaan had a foosball table in one of its rec. rooms and the AS mechanic whiled away many a boring hour playing it. ?I haven?t played this game in at least six months!? He sobered as he recalled the significance of that date.
**
?Can you come down to the station? It concern?s your sister.?
?I-I don?t know.? Crispin licked his suddenly dry lips. ?When?did you have in mind??
?I think the sooner the better, Mr. Daniels.?
Twenty minutes later Crispin strode into the local sheriff?s department. He was met in the lobby by a plain-clothes deputy.
?Mr. Daniels.? The middle-aged man said solemnly. ?I?m sorry we had to meet under these circumstances.?
?Cut the bullshit!? Crispin snapped. ?What?s wrong with Allie??
The man regarded him silently a moment and then nodded. ?Yes, of course. Please follow me. I think we should discuss this in private.? He gestured for the younger man to walk toward a staircase leading down.
?Alright.? Crispin swallowed and pushed down the knot of dread he felt in his stomach. He followed the deputy as indicated. They walked down a flight of stairs and passed thru several hallways until they came to a set of double doors. The air was very cold and Crispin repressed a shudder as he read the sign above the doors.
County Morgue.
Crispin eyes traced over the letters on the name plate. He stood rooted as the deputy held the door open for him. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. He shook his head in denial and stepped back.
?Mr. Daniels, we need you to identify a body.? The deputy said not unkindly. ?I know it?s not easy, but I have to ask you to be strong for a few more minutes.?
**
?No!? Crispin gasped and leaned against the foosball table heavily. He clenched his eyes shut as tears began to form. He was not the only person in the hotel recreation room and the AS mechanic refused to weep in front of them.
?That?s right.? He whispered. ?I haven?t played since I got that call.? A painful lump formed in his throat and his hands gripped the edge of the foosball table hard enough to turn his knuckles white. ?Allie,? he drew a ragged breath. ?I should?ve been there.? His head bowed and his shoulders shook. ?I?m sorry.? Tears began to drip onto the table he leaned on. He stood there for several minutes, quietly crying. After he began to recover a girl?s voice interrupted his inner torment.
?Cris, are you okay?? Kyouko asked worriedly from behind. Kaname stood beside her, also looking concerned.
Crispin took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before answering. ?Yeah, I?m doing great.? When he was sure he had gained control of himself he turned toward the two girls with a strained smile. ?I was just checking out the rec. room here. So what?s up? I?d figured you would?ve hit the beach by now.?
Kyouko was wearing a pair of khaki shorts over the school issued dark-blue one-piece swim suit and Kaname wore a nice two-piece. However, the blue-haired girl also wore a floral print wrap around skirt and a white blouse, which was unbuttoned. Both girls wore sandals.
Crispin frowned at the girls attire, especially Kaname?s. What was the point of going out to buy a new swim suit if she was just going to cover it up like that? ?I?ll never understand these girls,? he thought in irritation and turned back to the foosball table.
?We figured you?d be sulking around here and thought you?d actually like to have some fun.? Kaname explained. ?But if you?re going to be like that-? Kaname was cut off by her friend.
?Foosball!? Kyouko cried out happily and ran up to the table. ?Hey, Kaname let?s play a game! We can team up against Cris!? She beamed up at the two teens.
?Why are you teaming up against me?? Crispin sputtered in protest. ?And who said I was going to play? And don?t call me that!? He snapped at the nickname.
?Aw, come on Cris! You want to play, right? Just one game!? Kyouko pleaded with the stocky American. ?Don?t you like foosball?? She almost whined.
?Yes, I like foosball!? Crispin nearly shouted. He took a breath and continued in a more calm voice. ?I played all the time back on the Dan-? Crispin caught himself and added lamely, ?I mean back at my old school.? He repressed a sigh when the girls said nothing about his slip.
?Great! Than let?s play!? Kyouko chirped and looked for the game ball.
?I never said I-!? Crispin groaned in defeat. ?Fine, we?ll play. But just one game!? He proclaimed sternly.
?Okay!? Kyouko agreed with a giggle when she returned with the game ball. ?You ready Kaname?? She asked her best friend.
?Oh no,? Kaname held up her hands in protest. ?I?ll sit this one out.? She had no idea how to play the game.
?If you want.? Kyouko pouted momentarily and then grabbed the bar handles with a grin. ?Ready?? She asked the boy across the table.
?Yeah, I should warn you.? Crispin said as he took the handles of the middle five-man bar and the goalie on his own side. ?I was one of the best players at my old-school.?
Thunk!
Crispin starred in shock as Kyouko scored a quick goal with a sharp flick of her wrist from her five-man bar. ?How? No fair, I wasn?t ready!? He protested as the girl giggled.
?But you said you were!? Kyouko pointed out and giggled again when he muttered under his breath.
?What?s the matter Daniels?? Kaname asked. ?Can?t hang with the girls.? She laughed at the dark look that crossed the AS engineer?s face.
?Just you watch.? Crispin promised flatly. He turned toward the laughing Kyouko. ?You wanted a game? It?s on now girl!? He had been careless before. He was not paying attention and Kyouko had taken advantage of his distraction. That would not happen again.
Over the next several minutes the two teens shifted their bars back and forth trying to score against their opponent. Crispin had to admit, when he had the time to spare for thought, that Kyouko was good, very good. She had excellent control of the ball and top-notch passing skills. Perfect for lining up a clean shot on the goal. Those skills combined with her mean wrist flick technique meant the bespectacled girl was powerful on the offense. And despite his earlier vow she scored several more times.
?YAY!? The girl clapped happily as she scored her fourth goal.
?Alright Kyouko!? Kaname high-fived her friend. ?Take that jerk down a notch or two.?
?Hey, I?m not a jerk!? Crispin protested. At the blue-haired girl?s look he fidgeted. ?All the time.? He added lamely.
?I still like you Cris!? Kyouko enthused and then turned bright red when she realized what she said.
Crispin stared at the bright red Kyouko. She fidgeted and he burst out laughing ?HA, now I know you?re joking.? Crispin ruffled her hair and retrieved the ball from his goal. ?This game ain?t over yet. You?re going down camera girl!? He chortled and placed the ball back on the table. His words were not idle boasting either. Crispin had superior interception skills and was a master of pinning the ball. Those same skills made his defense nearly unbeatable. He was not considered one of the best foosball players on the Tuatha de Danaan for nothing. In short, Crispin was confident of victory.
Kyouko narrowed her eyes in concentration and moved to gain control of the ball. She and Crispin passed the ball back and worth for over a minute, until Crispin intercepted one of her shots and returned it for a solid goal.
?HA!? Crispin taunted.
?You?ll get the next one Kyouko.? Kaname cheered the girl on.
?Yeah.? Kyouko nodded as she placed the ball in the center.
For the next few minutes they played furiously. Shooting the ball back and forth, moving up and down the table to grasp different bars as the game progressed. Finally, the last point was scored and the game ended.
?YAY! I won!? Kyouko jumped about happily.
?Great work Kyouko!? Kaname congratulated her friend.
?I don?t believe it!? Crispin starred at the table in shock, as if it had betrayed him. He looked up at the beaming girl and suddenly demanded. ?One more game!? It had been a while since he played, but now he was warmed up it was time to show this girl how Foosball was really played.
?Okay.? Kyouko said with out hesitation.
?Uh, Kyouko we?re supposed to be going to the beach, remember.? Kaname pointed out. As she spoke the blue-haired girl noticed the intense looks on both teens faces as they squared off for another round. She dropped her head with a sigh, ?Never mind. I?ll just go by myself.?
?Bye Kaname.? Kyouko said absently as the ball was served.
?Later Chidori.? Crispin grunted as his serve was intercepted by Kyouko.
?Sure, see you guys later.? Kaname massaged her forehead with her hand and walked outside. She refused to spend what little free time she had in Okinawa cooped up inside the hotel.
Kyouko and Crispin did not notice the departure of their blue-haired friend as they concentrated on beating the other. After nearly ten minutes the game was over with the same results as the first one.
?Yay! I win again!? Kyouko jumped in her excitement.
?Three out of five!? Crispin demanded. He would not lose this time. Kyouko agreed and they played another game. Crispin won that one and so they played again. They kept playing until the sun began to set and both teens were ready to fall over in exhaustion.
Crispin grinned at the panting Kyouko. ?Not bad. Not bad at all.? He had managed to win several games, but so had Kyouko. In the end he had no idea who actually was the victor. ?Where?d you learn to play?? He finally thought to ask.
?Thanks.? Kyouko blushed from the praise. ?I used to play all the time with my brother before he left for college.?
Crispin simply nodded in understanding. It did not really matter, but he had been curious. The extraordinary thing was not that Crispin had enjoyed himself, but for the first time in six months he was not plagued by thoughts of his sister.
End Chapter 12
The Devil Inside-Glossary of Terms
MCMJ -Mithril Code of Military Justice. Basically the legal code and rules of conduct all Mithril personal are subject to.
CO - Commanding Officer (This is actually used by the US military)
MCF- Mithril Correctional Facility. Most ships and bases have their own brigs or jails, but those are only designed to keep a prisoner for a short period of time. The MCF serves as Mithril?s more permanent jail. It?s used to hold those who are awaiting their hearing or trail, and for those who?ve been sentenced for longer than a month, to a maximum sentence of a year or two.
MDC- Mithril Detention Center - basically prison. This is where Mithril throw's their hard-cases and long terms sentences. It's a great place where you get to spend twelve hours a day making little rocks out of big rocks. Sounds fun doesn't it?
Basically, think of it as Mithril's equivalent to Ft. Lebonworth.
Old Man - just an affectionate way the soldiers of Mithril have of referring to Kalinin. Of course, they'd never address him like that!
LP/OP ?Listing Post and Observation Post.
FARP ?Fuel And Rearming Point. It?s a forward staging area combat-vehicles (such as an Arm-Slave) can use without having to leave the combat zone.
Mikes ?short-hand for minutes.
ETA ?Estimated Time of Arrival
Hawkeye ?Refers to a US radar plane. The Hawkeye usually flies ahead of a US naval task force (among other things) and gathers useful information about the area and reports it back.
AS- Arm Slave. Ya know, those big freaking robots Sousuke and the others pilot.
SRT- Special Response Team. Sousuke, Melissa, and Kurz are member of Mithril?s SRTs. The way I look at it, the Special Response Teams are Mithril?s equivalent of Special Forces. They do many of the same tasks as special forces: Recon. Infiltration. Sabotage. Lightning raids, Hostage rescue, and assorted other tasks.
MOTC ? Mithril?s Officer Training Course. Most military organizations have additional requirements for their officers besides just time in service and demonstrated ability. Most officers under go specific and grueling training and are usually required to have a four year college degree of some kind.
M9- Called the ?Gernsback? it?s the AS used by Mithril. Considered the next generation of AS.
M6- the AS used by the US Military.
RK-92- Soviet era Arm Slave. To quote Sousuke. ?Move you Soviet-made piece of Junk!?
Ninety-six- refers to the ASG 96-B manufactured by Bofors. It?s a 57 mm smooth-bore rifle and part of the M9?s standard armament. It?s the rifle Kurz used in episode five during his duel with Gauron.
NCOIC- Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge. It refers to the highest ranking enlisted person within a unit. In the case of Crispin?s orders it refers to Melissa.
DI ?Drill Instructor. Another way of referring to a Drill Sergeant.
SitRep- Situation Report. Basically a quick run down of what your situation in a field (or combat) environment.
WA2000- very high-quality German sniper rifle. Considered by some to be one of the best in the world. It?s only down side is its weight. (16 lbs) and cost. It?s highly customizable and sleek in design. It seemed appropriate for Kurz to use. Though I think the one he?s actually shown using is a PGS-1(another German rifle). I?m not certain.
Tac-Net- Tactical Network. A radio network set up and used by members of the same unit during tactical (i.e. combat) situations.
HE- High Explosive.
Fifty Cal ? short hand for fifty caliber. Which is the size of a heavy machine gun. A machine gun this large must be mounted on a tripod or vehicle in order to fire it. A fifty caliber round is about six inches long and can tear a man in half, and it can also destroy trucks, light armored vehicles and buildings.
NVGs -- Night Vision Goggles
EOD ? Explosive Ordinance Disposal
FTX ?Field Training Exercise.
Gunny- Short for Gunnery Sergeant. It?s an advanced NCO rank in the United States Marine Corps
Shiwa Statue ?those Lion statues you?ll see in front of temples and important buildings. There supposed to be guardian spirits and they are very prominent in Okinawa.
