by John Bowers
“Can you hear me? Are you awake?”
He heard a grunt and the wheeze of air through a swollen passage. The man tried to answer but his words came out like the mewing of a newborn kitten. Fighting nausea, Nick backed out of the shed and caught a breath of fresh air. He chinned his helmet mike.
“Sergeant, I need a corpsman up here. Seventh house on the street, north side, in the backyard.”
“Who’s hit?”
“Two prisoners, badly burned. Looks like they crawled out of that shopping center across the alley.”
“Okay, sit tight. We’ll be there in a minute.”
Nick knelt by the man lying on the grass. He was trembling with shock. More than half his body was burned, but if he reached a hospital in time, he might make it. The man inside the shed…Nick had doubts about him.
“What’s your name?” he asked the prisoner.
“Ez-zekiel. Please…don’t shoot.”
“If I was going to shoot, you would already be dead. Just rest easy.”
“P-Please…help us.”
“How old are you, Ezekiel?”
“S-Seventeen.”
“How long have you been fighting?”
“Since…since…” A coughing spell seized the kid. He spewed bloody phlegm, then lapsed into moaning.
“How long?” Nick repeated.
“Since the beginning.”
“Well, Ezekiel, the Star Marines are here now, so your little revolution is over. The good news for you is that we don’t mistreat prisoners. If you make it to a hospital in time, you’ll probably survive.”
Ezekiel coughed up blood again, then closed his eyes and nodded his gratitude.
“Th-thank you…for not…shooting us.”
You’re welcome…but I’m not sure I did you any favors.
DuBose arrived a moment later with Wiebe’s fire team. With them was the corpsman, Cpl. Bob Starling, who had been assigned to Echo Company the day they boarded ship on Terra. Nick knew who he was, but had never spoken to him. He stepped aside as Starling knelt over the wounded prisoner. Starling stared at the man for a moment, as if not sure how to treat him, or where to start.
“How does it look?” Nick asked.
Starling shook his head. “I’m surprised he’s still alive. He needs evac, and bad.”
“There are two more inside the shed. One is dead, the other is even worse than this one.”
Starling reached for his canteen and held it for Ezekiel to drink. The young rebel managed a mouthful, but spluttered most of it up as some of it penetrated his airway and triggered an explosion of coughing.
“You got this under control, Corporal?” DuBose asked. “We need to move on.”
“I got it, Sergeant. I need to call for a sled, but I’m not sure they’ll respond for a Freak.”
“Don’t tell them it’s a Freak. Once they’re already here, they’ll take him.” DuBose patted the top of his helmet. “If you need us, just holler. We’re moving out.”
Chapter 11
The suns were getting low as 1st and 2nd Squads made contact two blocks farther down the street. The men of 2nd Squad looked different than they had a couple of hours ago. It was in their eyes, a naked awareness, as if they’d just discovered that their mothers weren’t virgins. Nick realized that he probably had the same look—training for combat was one thing, but nothing prepared you for the real thing. The minor skirmishes they had recently fought were nothing compared to what they were facing now. Losing Mateo and Jimmy Chin had been sobering, and from his head count, he could see that 2nd Squad had also lost men.
Sgt. Grimes scowled as he surveyed Nick’s fire team.
“Five men? Is that all you’ve got left?”
“No, this is just my team. Sergeant DuBose is right behind us with the SAW team. We still have ten men.”
Grimes nodded, looking relieved.
“I lost one man, but we killed about thirty Freaks.”
He turned and looked down the side street. Nick followed his gaze—a block away, five or six white-shirted bodies lay sprawled across the street and sidewalks. As they fled the P-gun attack, the rebels had run right into 2nd Squad’s guns.
Before Nick could comment, Sgt. DuBose arrived with Wiebe’s fire team. Both sergeants shook hands.
“Good to see you, Grimes.”
“Good to see you, too. How’d you fare?”
“Two dead, one wounded. You?”
“One dead, couple of minor scratches.”
“How far is the high school?”
“Two or three blocks, I think. I sent a couple of scouts to check it out. Should hear from them any minute.”
They put their heads together and conferred over the e-tablet maps. Nick stood nearby, breathing steadily, waiting for orders. He took a drink from his canteen.
“What happens now, Nick?” Rudy Aquino waited at his elbow.
“I think we’re going to hit the high school. It’s supposed to be another strongpoint.”
Rudy nodded, his head swiveling as if to check for rebel snipers.
“I think it went pretty good so far, don’t you?”
“Well, if you don’t count Mateo and Chin…yeah, pretty good.”
“Shit, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean—”
“I know, Rudy. It’s okay. We always knew we were going to lose people. It’s inevitable. The object is to keep that number as low as possible.”
Rudy nodded, still looking chastised. Kopshevar joined them.
“You going to be the new team leader, Nick?”
“God, I hope not. Maybe DuBose will give you the job. Or Rudy.”
Kopshevar looked surprised.
“You don’t want it? Why not? You’re probably the best man in the company.”
“How do you figure that? I started the same time you did, had the same training.”
“Yeah, but you graduated at the head of our training platoon. You were the best shot and you worked harder than anybody else.” Kopshevar smiled. “Except for Cross. She worked her ass off. But she would never have made it without your help. She even said so.”
Nick stared down the street, annoyance stamped across his features.
“Don’t talk about her. I never want to hear her name again.”
Kopshevar frowned.
“Aw, come on, Nick! She still loves you. She made a mistake, that’s all. It could happen to anybody.”
Nick turned on him with narrowed eyes.
“How the hell do you know so much about it?”
“I talked to her. She came looking for you a few months back. She told me the whole story.”
Nick glared at him a moment, then clenched his jaw.
“She told me, too. She found me in San Diego.”
“She did? What happened? You didn’t believe her?”
“I believed her, but it didn’t change anything. I sent her on her way.” He jabbed a finger into Kopshevar’s chest. “And that is the end of this conversation!”
Nick turned and stalked away.
*
“What the hell was that about?” Rudy Aquino watched in disbelief as Nick walked away. “I’ve never seen him get mad before.”
Alvin Kopshevar sighed.
“My fault. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
“Shouldn’t have brought what up? Who’s Cross?”
“Victoria Cross, Star Marine. She was in our training platoon.”
Aquino looked shocked. “You mean they got girls in boot camp?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you have women in your training platoon?”
“No, my platoon was all stag.”
“We had five, but only one survived the beach.”
“So what happened?”
Kopshevar, still watching Nick, who had crossed the street and stood staring off into space, sighed again.
“She was one helluva girl. Blond, sexy, fit as hell, and a real dynamo, the kind men leave their wives for. The first four girls washed out early, but she stuck it out. The
training was rough on her, but she never gave up, and the one time she almost did, it was Nick who saved her.”
“Where is she now?”
“She went to law school. The Star Marines paid for it, but she had to graduate boot camp first. I think she’s gonna work for the Judge Advocate when she gets her degree. It was a great deal for her—get a law career courtesy of the military—but she paid a price for it.”
“You mean, Nick?”
Kopshevar nodded. “They fell for each other. The last month of boot camp, I think they screwed every day. How they got away with it I’ll never know. Everybody knew about it. I think the brass did, too, but they looked the other way.
“After graduation, she went off to law school and he went to Luna for Advanced Infantry. They were supposed to hook up when he got back, but when he came home he caught her with another guy.”
“Aw, fuck!”
“Yeah. He was devastated, and just walked away. She was even more devastated. She swore it wasn’t planned, and that it only happened once. I believe her.”
“You do? I kind of understand where Nick is coming from.”
“Yeah, so do I, but I’m telling you, that girl loves him. I understand his pain, but he’s throwing away something really good. I’m afraid he’ll regret it someday.”
“You think he should forgive her?”
“I sure as hell would. Everybody deserves a second chance. Now, if she ever repeated it, that’s a different matter, but he never gave her that chance.”
Four Months Earlier
Wednesday, 3 January, 0435 (CC)
Balboa Cocktail Lounge – San Diego, SoCal – North America, Terra
Nick saw her approach but didn’t speak. She stopped at his table and gazed down at him.
“What’re you drinking, Private?” he asked. “Next round is on me.”
“I’ll have whatever you’re having.” She sat down, remaining on the edge of her chair, as if she might need to run. He raised a hand to flag the cocktail waitress and ordered two single malts. As the waitress flounced away he tipped his glass and drained it.
“So, how you been, Vic? Graduate yet?”
“Not yet. Two more years.”
“Two years? I thought law school took four.” He had trouble forming his words. He’d been at it for a while.
“I’m on an accelerated course.”
He nodded. “I shoulda guessed. Makes sense.”
“How are you doing?”
“Me? I’m good. I’m not even gonna ask how you found me.”
“Just as well. I wouldn’t tell you anyway.”
He smiled tightly, the slightly exaggerated facial fluctuations common to drunk people.
“Well, since you did find me, you might as well have a drink with me. What’ll you have?”
“You already ordered for me, Nick. Remember?”
“I did?” He saw the waitress coming and nodded slowly. “Oh…I guess I did.”
The waitress placed the drinks on the table, removed Nick’s empty, and walked away. Nick watched her butt until she was out of sight, then picked up his scotch and lifted it in a toast.
“Star Marines!”
He clicked glasses with her and took a slug. He set the glass down.
“I’m over it, Vic. If that’s what you wanted to talk about, you wasted a trip.”
“I don’t think so. I owe you an explanation.”
“You don’t owe me shit. We ain’t married.”
“I love you, Nick.”
“Yeah, you told me. ‘Bout a thousand years ago.”
“I mean it. I still feel the same way I did then.”
His grin widened, looking increasingly crazy. He nodded.
“I got that. It was really obvious the last time I saw you.”
“Nick—”
“You gonna tell me that guy was your brother? That it?”
“No. He wasn’t my brother.”
“Roommate, then.”
“Yes, actually. He was my roommate.”
“And you don’t feel anything for him.”
“Of course I do. But we’re friends, that’s all.”
“Do all your friends leave monkey-bites on your neck?”
She flushed crimson and lowered her eyes.
“It was a mistake,” she told him. “A stupid, stupid mistake. I’ve been kicking myself ever since.”
“So it only happened that one time, huh?”
“Yes. It only happened one time.”
He laughed and tilted his glass again.
“And just by coincidence, I showed up that very night.”
“Nick, I’m sorry.”
“I believe you.”
“Do you believe in forgiveness?” Tears were forming in her eyes.
“No. I believe in fidelity.” He frowned. “Did I say that right? Fi— Fi— Difelity? No…”
“Nick—”
He slammed a fist on the table.
“You fucked up, Vic. Remember boot camp? You fucked up once, you were gone? No take-backs, no restarts, no do-overs. ‘Member?”
She nodded, her eyes glistening. “I remember.”
“Well, that’s how it works. So now—now you gotta take the long…walk—”
“The Long Walk of Shame,” she whispered.
“Yeah, that one.”
“So I’m a pussy after all.”
His shoulder twitched. “That’s your call, not mine.”
Victoria Cross pushed her drink away.
“Okay, here it is. I’m the bad guy. I made a mistake. I was lonely, and I know that’s no excuse. Did you never make a mistake? Not once in your life?”
“Not that one.” His eyes narrowed. “Vic, did you know the Federation has military whorehouses on Luna 1? They call ‘em Pink Ladies, and they’re soldiers, just like you an’ me, only their job is to fuck other soldiers who need to get laid. They get regular benefits and everything.”
“No, I didn’t know that.”
“Most people don’t. Well, you know what? I was there for nine months and I was lonely, too, but I never, ever visited a pink lady. Not once.”
A silent tear slid down Victoria’s cheek. He didn’t notice.
“How virtuous of you,” she said.
He snorted. “Virtuous? No, I ain’t virtuous. I’m just a dumb grunt who believes that, when you love someone, you love them all the way. And I loved you, that’s all.”
She stared across the lounge until she could get her voice back. He took another drink.
“So that’s it then, huh?”
“Yeah, pretty much. Your feet touched the bottom.”
“And there’s nothing I can say or do?”
He looked up and met her gaze. For just an instant, his expression softened.
“Yeah, there is one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Be the best U.F. Attorney you can be, and have yourself a good life. Make me proud.”
Fighting her tears, Victoria Cross stood up and walked out of the lounge. He never saw her again after that.
Wednesday, 16 May, 0435 (CC)
Goshen – Camarrel, Alpha Centauri 2
Second Squad’s scouts, Pvt. Jefferson and Pfc. Yamashita, returned to report that the high school, which covered four square blocks, looked like a fortress.
“It’s a two-story building,” said Yamashita. “The lower windows are barricaded with steel beams. The upper floor windows are only partly barricaded, but we saw at least two laser weapons and maybe a machine gun. The parking lot is forty yards across and all the cars have been moved. They have a clear field of fire on the north side, and the south side is mostly open lawn for maybe two hundred yards, with a gymnasium and two or three other smaller buildings. We couldn’t tell much more than that.”
“How about the roof?” Grimes asked.
“Couldn’t tell, but I won’t be surprised if they have mortars up there.”
Grimes nodded. Before he could respond, Lt. Jaeger approached wit
h 3rd Squad in tow. Third Squad had been held in reserve and were still at full strength.
“What’s the situation here?” he demanded.
DuBose and Grimes brought him up to date, then passed on the scouting report about the high school. Jaeger studied the e-tablet maps a moment, then nodded.
“Okay, good work. Captain Seals is collecting the company two blocks west of here. We need to link up with him. Pack up your men and let’s go.”
*
Nick and his team joined DuBose and Wiebe’s team as 1st and 2nd Squads trudged down the alley to join Capt. Seals. Nick kept his rifle ready—2nd Squad had cleared this section of town, but there could still be stragglers. Fortunately, they didn’t encounter any, and within three minutes reached a cross street two blocks directly north of the high school. The other three platoons were already there, spread across the lawns on both sides of the street. Seals conferred with his lieutenants for about ten minutes, then the officers returned to their platoons to pass on the orders.
As Jaeger met with his sergeants, Nick checked the sky. Daylight was starting to fade; Alpha Centauri B had already set in the west, and Alpha Prime was getting low. If they waited much longer, they would have to assault the high school in the dark, and someone had said the Freaks loved fighting in the dark. He felt his pulse ramp up a little. This could get nasty.
The sergeants broke up and DuBose returned to the squad. They stood in a semi-circle as he gave them the dope.
“Okay, we’re gonna be in reserve for this one,” DuBose said. “First and Second Platoons will make the initial assault, and we’ll hang back a little until they need us. Hotel is going to hit the school from the south. Actually, they’ll take the school under fire and try to keep them busy while we hit from the north. Gunsleds will support the assault, in case they have ordnance on the roof.”
“What about P-guns?” someone asked. “They did a great job on the shopping center.”
DuBose grimaced.
“The bad news is that the high school is built of stone and reinforced starcrete, so P-guns will have a hard time bringing it down. And, the Prussian doesn’t want to repeat the kind of destruction the shopping center got. The idea is to liberate the town, not destroy it; the locals are apparently a little pissed that no one has been able to dislodge the Freaks for the last five or six months, so—”