The Green Lieutenant

Part 6

I am informed the relief unit is estimated to be less than twenty hours away, fighting around us has intensified also. I sit at the steps of stairs, resting for what I can. Rashad comes with two glass bottles, handing me one after sitting next to me.

"Glass bottled water?" I inquire.

"Topo Chico, it's a sparkling mineral water that is supposedly popular with the locals."

The bottle is wet, dripping from its condensation, the glass itself hotels a teal tint. I pop open the cap, slowly raising the bottle to test its taste. The cold liquid viciously tickles my tongue, it's a somewhat salty taste, but not immoderately so, it even passes as refreshing. I take a lager sip... I have no qualms with it. Though, what makes it popular? Rashad gulps it down, only to end up bringing up wind.

"Excuse me, sir." Rashad says politely.

"Jeez, are all of you enlisted like that?" I manage to joke.

"Well I didn't know you commissioned were such highclassman." Rashad smirks.

"Hey, I was raised on a farm in Turkey, Turkey I tell you!"

"Yeah and I think OTS messed you up a little, sir."

"Haha. Say, what's that flag of yours? Egypt?"

"No."

"Err... Oman, was it?"

"You're killing me lieutenant."

"Well? Out with it." I urge Rashad.

Rashad peeps, "... Later."

The sergeant walks away, leaving an unfinished bottle. It had become late, and much of my body now plead for rest. I make the final check ups with my soldiers before heading to "my" room, finally getting under the covers again to sleep... until I couldn't. The sounds of constant streaming gunfire was nothing like the soothing rain. I looked at my watch, it's 0246. I stare into the abyss that is the dark ceiling, before finally getting irked enough to get out of the room.

To my left, Rashad is keeping watch in the hallway window, I approach him.

Before I could speak a word, he spoke to me. "It's not the same back at training."

"Huh? What do you mean Rashad?"

"You were simulated in hostile environments right Kahill? Learned how to sleep through noises like these?"

"Of course. Err... At least I thought we learned to get used to the noises."

"Even if they use real bullets, it'll never be the same. Knowing there's someone out there, maybe a good some even, etching your name on their bullets... I've gotten used to that, and I'm not sure if that's praiseworthy."

He continues to stare out to keep security. Outside there are brief glows of yellow light, tracers flying into the night. I start to ponder about him.

"Rashad?"

"Hm?"

"Did you have any experience before becoming an Imperial?"

Rashad stands silent. I wonder if he is thinking about his choice of words, a lie, or just refusing to speak about it at all.

At last, Rashad sighs. "I've lived and been in Yemen for more than thirty years since birth, until now. Having known war since six, a war between five or more factions, each supported by various of other organisations or nations with who knows what motives.... all wanting to rule a country they're tearing apart."

"Did you fight for any of those sides?"

"Kahill, I was part of the town defence militia since I was thirteen. There were no sides for us, just preservation of self and loved ones... still lost many. Imperials came in for assistance and humanitarian aid back in five years ago, 2020... they got me hooked up. Already with informal experience I got formal training from the Imperials. Continued fighting for four more years, then they said, 'We can't do this anymore, we're stretched too thin and it's doing nothing.' So we all pulled back by 2024, abandoned my town pretty much. And here I am now fighting these guys in this country, as you probably already know."