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mastoid
process, the small bony prominence behind each ear, when you spoke and
transmitted it as sound. And for receiving, it similarly sent tiny vibrations
through the same bone and into the auditory canal for the brain to translate
into words. It was so much easier than fumbling with microphones or handheld
communicators. And unlike almost every other piece of military equipment
issued, it almost never broke down.
    Switching her comlink on, Daria cycled
through a frequency test. Luckily, because she had received the message to gear
up about twenty minutes after everyone else, she didn’t have to wait for the
channels to clear up before doing the check. Sometimes you’d have to wait more
than five minutes for a freq check when several platoons were gearing up at the
same time, not to mention a base that held more than one hundred thousand
marines.
    The last items Daria always packed were
her field and fighting knives. She first grabbed her field knife that had a
thick blade and a heavy handle. The handle had most of the checkering worn off
from years of use but Daria refused to replace the knife. It was her first
field knife and it had served her well. It had gouges in the sides of the blade
where she had used it to dig for water or pry open a door or any other number
of abuses that she dished out. This knife was placed in a holster on her left
thigh.
    Then came the hard part—which fighting
knives to take? She loved them all, and each had a quality that made it unique
and deadly. Her first decision was on a combination knife that could also be
used for throwing. It was weighted well and had a thin blade, as all fighting
knives do, and a cord-wrapped handle. It had a bead-blasted flat black finish
and was razor sharp. She placed this one in a holster on her right calf. This
was primarily a backup weapon used as a last resort. It was best drawn from a
kneeling position which you were usually in when it came down to your last
resort, along with praying if you had the time.
    Next, she took a handcrafted,
double-edged dagger from its place on the shelf and examined the blade. It was
also razor sharp and had serrated edges from the middle of the blade on both
sides that continued to the hilt. The razor sharp smooth edges on the upper
half were best for slicing and stabbing during a fight while the serrations
allowed for a jagged tear in one’s opponent after the sharp smooth blade
penetrated flesh or light body armor. This one was holstered horizontally on
her belt in the small of her back.
    Lastly, she picked up her most prized
fighting knife that she carried on every mission. Mike had given it to her as a
birthday gift several years ago. It was made of a carbon polymer that was
stronger and lighter than titanium. It had no metal in it, so it was virtually
undetectable by weapon scanners. The blade was thin and double edged only at
the last inch towards the top of its full nine-inch length. The sides of the
blade had been polished with a laser during its creation and were smooth as
silk to the touch but completely non-reflective in any light. The edges were
laced with laser sharpened diamonds that could barely be seen but allowed the
weapon to cut through almost any body armor known and anything else that got in
the way of a knowledgeable operator such as Daria.
    She drew the weapon from its sheath to
examine it for any flaws, which she knew there were none. Holding the weapon in
a reverse grip, she made small figure-eight motions with her wrist, practicing
a basic cut that was meant to sever the arteries and tendons in an opponent’s
outstretched arm. She quickly flipped the handle to put the blade in a forward
position and made small poaching jabs towards Davies.             Knowing her
skill, he didn’t flinch at all but rather stood his ground, watching the master
go through her basic routines.
    After a few more jabs and grip changes,
she placed the weapon back in its sheath and placed it on her right thigh