We Each Owe A Death

Captain Meg Nakamura: I knew that we were going to be parents when he took me in the shower. In my heart, I knew it...because there were explosions going off in my head. There's no easy way to say it but I know. He told me that he had to send his men out to recon the area...and he stated that he wouldn't put the lives of his men at risk unless he was willing to do the same. He leads by example; a tough as nails commander

Captain Harmon Rabb Jr.: We started out that night with a contingent of five. Private Marty Keaton, Sergeant Jared Frio, Commander Phil Burrows, myself and Vice-Admiral Nakamura.

Our recon route was along the same route that RADM Chegwidden and Sergeant Frio had taken the night before, and VADM Nakamura took point...

It didn't appear as though the Russians or the Chinese had aircover tonight. And we were able to make it to our first checkpoint without much event. At least we had M-16A3s on us this time around.

I could hear the vice-admiral saying to Jared. "I'll continue to take point until third checkpoint, then you take over...and let me see what you got..." The Marine in Jared took over and he said, "Sir, Yes, Sir..." softly so that his voice would only carry as far as the vice-admiral's ear. We didn't want to let the Russians know that we were snooping around.

Everyone gathered around the admiral as he pointed out certain key points on the map and visually around us. "I want you to write a report, Captain Rabb, we need to make certain that CINCNORAD knows exactly what's going on. Whatever we see...whether it's an Anti-Aircraft Missile Emplacement or a tank or troop movements...everything."

I nodded, "Aye, sir..."

It was an unsettling quiet. We ran from checkpoint A to checkpoint B...knowing that at any moment, we could end up being on wrong end of artillery fire or be spotted. So our pace was quick...and we tried as best as we could to be quiet. But we heard Russian and Chinese voices...so we came quickly to a halt behind some cover.

We don't know if they heard us or not, but we made sure that we were as still as church-mice. And...the vice-admiral made a bee-line for Checkpoint Charlie.

Hostile territory involved precautions, so those of us not wearing headgear, donned our combat helmets.

Checkpoint Charlie was where Sergeant Frio took over point...and he sprinted for the next checkpoint.

"It's quiet...way too quiet..." the vice-admiral stated as he looked around, up at the sky...watching for aircraft. We didn't need a wayward Russian Mil or a fast-mover (a jet) coming over head and the pilot spotting us. So it was good that it was clear.

"Looks like it's all clear...next checkpoint" VADM Nakamura ordered. And we obeyed. We just all wanted to get home in one piece.

"We didn't get a good look at the situation...I'm going back..." Tosh stated to me as I protested. "You guys, if things go south, RTB and I mean it... didi...got it? That was Viet pidgin for di di mau.. It meant get the heck out of Dodge if we heard gunshots. Little did I know that it would prove to be prophetic.

It was about ten minutes later that we received the heartbreaking news...by means of a gunshot.

The admiral wasn't coming home with us...

Through angry tears...and whispered oaths of revenge; that we were going to slaughter the no good flarks who did this to Tosh, we returned home. The one thing that weighed on my mind was...how was I going to break this to Meg? How could I tell her that her husband was never coming home...ever.