Wearing a parachute and getting ready his machine gun, the flight engineer observes gray-yellow fields on the ground below. At this place, the horizon was not wearing a blue color like at home, rather it was hazy yellowish.
— If you see a sparkle at the bottom — you report immediately, see a flash — report, a trail of smoke — it means shooting, you do report at once. If you have spotted a blink of sunlight-it means an airplane’s window reflection of light, you report — the commander kept muttering endless surviving instructions.
We reached 3,500 meters.
— “Dust”, I am 314, — the commander reported. — we are coming out of the protected area, and seeking your permission to proceed with the task. Roger!
— Go-ahead, 314! — “Dust” replied.
The flight engineer switched the trigger on his firearm. Now they were flying to the north, climbing almost in a straight line.
— There is no need for a machine gun here, — the commander said. — Return to your seat.
The flight engineer F. tried to move away from the machine gun but it was so difficult to turn around because, his pectoral parachute clung to the machine gun. The flight engineer knew if a parachute ring will hook onto his machine gun, the parachute will open in the cabin and it will not be a pleasant situation for anyone. He sat back and lifted his right leg but instead of putting his leg on the floor… he accidently stepped on the “step-gas” pedal. The handle jerked down, an angle of blades dropped, and the helicopter suddenly began falling.
Although the commander kept pressing his step-gas, he was not able to quickly enough react to this surprise attack from the blind leg of his flight engineer. Indeed, his hangover played its role.
— Fuck… — the commander said motionlessly. — Take off the leg, brother, it is hard enough…
A sudden lightness in their bodies indicated that they were falling.
The flight engineer F., whose whole body was twisted from fear, flopped down on his folding seat. The commander pressed the gas and the shaking helicopter began climbing up.
For a while we were silent, lighting up cigarettes.
— Anyway, I do envy a flight engineer — the right pilot broke the silence and looked at the commander. — He has two seats. If he wishes he could sit here where he is now, or there, near a machinegun.
— But on other hand, — the commander picked up a line of the conversation — if a flight engineer sits in the place where he is now, in a situation of rapid descending, he will be pinned to the helicopter ceiling with the gear, located just under his seat. If he is sitting behind a machine gun — like on the balcony — he is an open target for enemy’s bullets.
— That is right — readily agreed the right pilot. — And if a stupid eagle will fly directly into a windshield, a flight engineer will end up with fractured ribs in the cargo cabin. In case of evacuation from the helicopter, we will be ejected through the exit but a flight engineer should wait his turn or be looking for the door.
— In any case, he does not have time — the commander nodded. — Maybe that is why casualties among flight engineering staff are much higher than in any other categories of aircraft crew…
— That’s all, it is enough, commander — the flight engineer F. said. — Lets stop, I am off here.
It is very early in the morning. Our hope to halt the fire from both sides have melted like lime and eventually disappeared in smoke. We ended up in the same damning military situation as it was before.
This is why when the sun just became visible over the tops of eastern mountains, the crew of the Board No.10 (see “Terminology and Glosssary” — Editor) is already at their workplace. Being awaken as early as at half past three and eaten a solid breakfast, when the sun rays directly struck his face, it became even more inconvenient. Pilots lowered optical filters and exposed to full sun, the flight engineer F. was left alone with the dazzling light… It is so hot! He closes his eyes and sees his jumpsuit, which he washed in a thermos last night. Hot steam eats away his eyes…
Awakened by his own machine gun, the flight engineer F. pulled up his hands. He realized whilst he felt asleep, his elbow accidently pressed the trigger of the machine gun directed ahead of him. Just straight in front of him, only few inches to the left, was sitting his comrade, the leading pilot. The flight engineer anxiously looked for any consequences of such accidental shooting but it seems there was none.
— What are you firing for? — the commander asked, not realizing that the engineer has simply fallen asleep. — Have you seen someone?
— No, just checking my machine gun, — the flight engineer replied immediately.
— Be careful, do not kill the leading pilot…
— Everything is under control, the commander!
Two people walk on an elevated bank of the river that obediently follows her riverbed curves. On the right side of the bank, there is a road, which is very close to the river. The flight engineer F. sees it from his position inside of a helicopter behind a machine gun. From time to time, he is looking at the water that seems to be flying under his feet. Suddenly, an idea came to his head. Bending over the seat, he picked up his camera FED from the parachutes that were piled on the lower glass as a protection against bullets. Having an inclination for conducting a natural experiment, the flight engineer has come up with the idea to capture the image of fire from his machine gun over the water.
With his right hand he raises the camera to his eyes, and, at the same time, he held by his left hand the left knob of the machine gun with a large finger on the trigger. This trick is very complex. Whilst he looks through the FED viewfinder, with his right hand he also needs to control a barrel of his machine gun: his left hand should hold the barrel in such a way that bullets should rip the water in a long line a distance from the nose of the machine. Whilst this will be happening, his right hand should click the camera to capture a series of fountains below.
The flight engineer F. for some time tried to coordinate both hands, the camera and his machine gun, attempting to adjust to vibration of the flight. When the moment was right, he pressed the trigger of machine gun, led the barrel from bottom to top and to the right (remembering that he should leading to the left) — and clicked the trigger on his camera.
When he stopped shooting and lowered the camera, he spotted a herd of sheep running in panic in all directions, and among them a shepherd with his hands up kneeling on the road.
“Damn! — the flight engineer mumbled. — Now I will be in trouble!”
— Well done, kid, you did well!! — the commander praised him. — You should be first. Keep them in fear, otherwise they will launch a grenade into your tail…
The Yalanis steppe near Herat… The pair of “Eights” (see “Terminology and Glossary”) is back from the job, finishing the blocking of several entrances to karez (see “Terminology and Glossary” — Editor), which goes to the Herat airfield. Dragging a heavy load, the military cars slowly crawled alongside of the karez, looking to the place where they can send their mortal massages.
Suddenly, the fox, not the usual red color, but pale with black patches, crossed the road.
— Wow! Look, look, — the commander yells, pointing with his finger towards the wild animal. — Silver Fox! Get him! Get this chaw-bacon! What a great fur it will be!
The flight engineer F. fired from the machine gun towards the running fox. The deadly weapon of the helicopter chases the fox tail which was winding like a snake. The engineer pitied this fox. He understands that nothing will be left when bullets of the caliber 7.62 will reach the fox. There will be no animal, nor a useful skin because it will be full of numerous holes. This is why he is hammering bullets a little bit long or little bit short, avoiding a direct contact with the animal.