The Soldier who Said No by Chris Marnewick

what are you doing here?’ the captain demanded.
    De Villiers spoke for the two of them. ‘We are 4 Recce and we are here for evacuation to Rundu.’
    ‘Name and rank,’ the raspy voice demanded.
    ‘De Villiers, Captain, 4 Recce, and Verster, Lieutenant, also 4 Recce,’ De Villiers answered.
    ‘Can you speak?’ The officer above them pointed at Verster.
    ‘Yes, Sir,’ said Verster, and anticipating the next instruction, added, ‘Verster, Lieutenant, 4 Recce.’
    ‘Don’t bullshit me, gentlemen. 4 Recce only does water-borne operations, and you’re a long way from the sea.’
    I hold the same rank as you, De Villiers silently admonished the captain, and he had difficulty hiding his irritation. An officer would have introduced himself under ordinary circumstances, asked if they needed food or water. Hell, De Villiers thought, a professional soldier would have asked if our mission had been successful or if they could offer any assistance to complete it. ‘The water is a few metres behind us,’ he said, indicating with his thumb across his shoulder.
    ‘Are you our evac?’ De Villiers asked. Next to him Verster stood at ease.
    ‘Shut up,’ the captain said.
    ‘Keep them in your sights,’ he ordered the soldier. ‘I’m going to make a radio call.’
    The captain disappeared into the dark higher up the bank.
    ‘From which unit are you?’ De Villiers asked the soldier aiming his R 4 at them.
    ‘32 Battalion,’ the soldier said curtly.
    His commander appeared behind him at the top of the bank. ‘I told you to keep them covered, not to talk to them!’
    ‘Sorry, Captain.’
    ‘What operation is this? How come I don’t know anything about it?’ the captain demanded.
    ‘It’s an MI operation, Captain,’ De Villiers explained.
    ‘What operation exactly? Keep your rifle up, Troop!’ he shouted at his soldier.
    De Villiers hesitated. ‘We’re not at liberty to disclose that, Captain. We’re here at the agreed RV for immediate evacuation.’
    The captain hesitated. ‘Wait here, don’t move,’ he ordered and disappeared into the dark again. This time the soldier kept De Villiers squarely in the sights of his R 4.
    Out of earshot, the captain was engaged in an odd conversation with Pretoria. ‘I need confirmation of my orders. The two soldiers are our men, I’ve established that, Captain de Villiers and Lieutenant Verster of 4 Recce. Can you confirm my orders?’
    The static crackled on the radio, but the message was clear.
    ‘I want to be sure that I understand my orders,’ the captain said nevertheless. ‘I want absolute assurance.’
    A different voice came on the air. ‘You heard the orders, Captain. You were specially selected for this evac. Now do your duty.’
    The captain acknowledged the order and slowly walked down to the river bank.
    He suddenly spoke above them. ‘Do you have your backpacks?’
    ‘They’re below the tree behind us, on our kayak.’
    ‘One of you can go down with the troop here and bring them up. Troop, leave their AK s here and go down with the lieutenant and bring the backpacks up, on the double. And bring the kayak too.’
    The soldier stood the AK s against a shrub and Verster followed him to the river. They returned within minutes.
    ‘Troop, take the packs and AK s with you and put them in the chopper. Come back for the kayak, immediately. You two stay here with me,’ the captain said, pointing at De Villiers and Verster.
    The soldier strained under the weight of the rifles and the two backpacks containing the heavy sniper’s rifle. De Villiers felt relief, no longer having a rifle aimed at him and his spotter. They stood in the dark. Behind the captain the rotors started accelerating and a voice shouted, ‘Ready to go, Captain!’
    The soldier returned and dragged the kayak up the bank and into the dark behind the captain.
    The rotors picked up speed. Take-off was imminent, De Villiers could judge from experience. Without warning the captain raised a