How's your schedule? Spring break looming for you? Or are you just looking to crash from all the harsh winter or summer weather and need a good reason to take a break? Well, once again we have another Classic Author feature to tickle your interest and catch your eye in case you missed this early author from GA's beginning days! 

Kombat Kids is set in a place very familiar to me... the Pacific Northwest. Not far from the Columbia River, this is a region with a lot of rich plant-life, varied animals of all shapes and sizes, and so many outdoor activities you don't ever have to go inside if you don't want to! The perfect setting for this story. Add in the stellar snippet of the review from Myr on Monday's feature, which you can read here if you didn't see it, and I am happy to also get to share an excerpt of this story with you to showcase just what you're missing out on if you haven't read it yet. You can also download a copy of the graphic to add to your signature if you want to share how much you enjoyed the story! 

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While the adults were testing the Claymore, Justin and Tyler went looking for Sergeant Babcock. After searching the house and the Cavern level, the boys entered the garage and found the sergeant working under one of the LAV’s.

Walking over to where his feet stuck out from under the vehicles chassis, Justin asked; “Sergeant Babcock, can we talk to you for a minute?”

The sergeant was using a mechanics creeper to move around under the vehicle, hearing the boys question he pushed himself from under the LAV and looked up at the two boys; “Sure thing guys, what’s up?”

Tyler took the lead; “We were told by Mr. Bateman to come find you and ask if you’d let us join the Armor Sub-Unit. We both thought about the different subs, and liked the idea of maybe being able to run one of these bad boys.”

George Babcock looked at the two boys and saw a pair of rather short, skinny kids; “Well guys, I don’t know if you’re physically big enough to handle one of these. Even though everything is power assisted, it still takes a lot of muscle to be able maintain and operate them.”

Tyler looked smug; “My daddy is Terry English, he owns and operates a heavy equipment sales and service company specializing in everything from light front-end loaders to D8 Cat’s. I been working with him for the last two years or so and have been helping run periodic maintenance and repair on all the vehicles brought in for work.”

Justin nodded his head; “I haven’t had as much experience as Tyler has, but I was driving semi’s pulling flat bed trailers around the orchards up in Yakima from early last summer up until this past November. I used to watch the mechanics repair the prime movers and the Hysters when they needed it, I think I can do what needs to be done.”

Babcock looked unconvinced; “Jump in guys, lets go for a ride.” Sergeant Babcock climbed in after the boys and moved to the drivers seat, after strapping in and making sure the boys were properly belted in, he started the LAV’s engine and drove out of the garage heading to the closed off area of the Bateman property. After moving the vehicle to a location that was relatively flat he stopped and turned the engine off. For the next fifteen minutes, he went over the controls and operation of the vehicle with the boys; “Either one of you got any questions so far? Ok who wants to try driving this rig first?”

Justin being closer quickly moved in front of Tyler; “I do sergeant.”

Babcock nodded and moved out of the drivers seat making room for the boy, glancing at Tyler, he noticed he had a pissed off expression on his face. “Don’t worry kid; you’ll get your chance in a little while.”

Justin dropped in to the drivers’ seat and strapped himself in, adjusting the seat to where he was comfortable and was able to use the vision blocks efficiently. When he was ready, he looked at the sergeant; “OK to start it up sergeant?”

Babcock chuckled; “Be my guest, have a ball.”

Justin got a big shit eating grin on his face as the engine started on the first try. He watched the gauges, especially the ones for fuel, hydraulic pressure, battery charge, oil pressure and water temp. After his inspection of the readouts, he turned to Sergeant Babcock: “Permission to move the vehicle sergeant?”

Babcock was amazed at the comprehensive review of the vehicles gauges Justin made to insure the vehicle was operational; “Granted.”

 

To read more, click here.