by MK Clark
“Absolutely not. You stay awake,” Tyson ordered.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Tyson stood and faced the men. “I can’t tell you. I don’t know. I’ve only seen this once before. Give him an IV, if you can find one, and keep his fever down. Whatever happens, don’t let him sleep.”
“What else?”
“Send out a mayday call. Tell them General O’Hara’s son is dying.”
“The general’s son? Shit.”
“He’s dying?”
“I don’t know, but it can’t hurt. The faster they get here, the better his chances.”
Chapter 33.5
December 5, 627 T.A.
“Are you really going to court-martial him? The kid is comatose.”
“Of course not! He’s the general’s son.”
“But surely you are not going to let him go unpunished?”
“Why do you think the MPs are stationed outside the infirmary?”
“No one believes for a second that this is his full sentence, so what are you going to do?”
“I haven’t decided.”
“You can’t just leave him perpetually under arrest.”
“Why not?”
“He might never wake up! The MPs can’t stay there forever. Besides, he’s the general’s son! If word gets out that you’re arresting him because he and three other pilots―”
“Two other pilots and a soldier.”
“What?”
“He was transferred, remember? It’s an important distinction.”
“The point is, they voluntarily risked their necks to save hundreds. The civilians will riot if he’s punished too severely. It won’t matter to them that it was an unauthorized mission. He’s famous, and he acted like a hero.”
“He always does. It’s a constant annoyance.”
“Seriously, sir, what are you going to do with him?”
“Something, I’m sure, and quickly, too. The Space Jumpers will be dissolved by the middle of next year if certain factions in the Council have their way.”
“Not just a rumor, then?”
“Not just a rumor. There’ve been too many pictures of too many mothers crying over their baby boys’ graves. Sometimes, I entertain the idea of recruiting journalists to become soldiers. They know how to use the ammunition they’re given.”
“In all honesty, sir, I never liked the program.”
“Oh?”
“I see those boys and can’t help but think how young they are. We’re robbing them by starting them out so young.”
“And yet they all signed voluntarily.”
“I can’t argue with that, sir, but I’ll be glad to see them go home. Even if some of them go and never wake up.”
“He’ll wake up.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I’m not finished with him yet.”
“I thought you said the Council was going to send them all home.”
“Oh, they probably will, but this group will be long gone by then. O’Hara, too. I’m taking them out of the Council’s reach.”
“He’s got mylanthium poisoning. You can’t force him to wake up!”
“He’ll do that all on his own, and he’ll do it in time to ship out. He’s a strong kid. I have faith in him.”
Hey, everyone.
I hope you enjoyed the first installment in the Young Soldier series. I’d like to ask you all a small favor. Please consider leaving me a short review on Amazon or Goodreads. It is my hope that this series reaches many more readers. One of the ways this happens is through reviews from people like you!
Thank you so much in advance. For more information on the Young Soldier series, check out my webpage at http://mkclarkbooks.com/. You can also sign up for my newsletter to make sure you know when the next installment in the Young Soldier series arrives!
Until next time, may the Force… Oh no, hang on. May you live long… Nope that’s taken, too. Ah, well. Cheers, folks.
Acknowledgements
I’ve read a lot of books over the years, which means I’ve read a lot of acknowledgements, but I never really appreciated all those people till now. Y’all, these people are everything.
There are so many people who have helped bring my dream to life over these thirteen years that it is an insurmountable task to acknowledge everyone who has been a part of this journey. So for those of you who have helped me along the way, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. However, there are a few special people I must mention because of the work they have put into this book and making it what it is today.
A huge thank you to my sister for her support and help throughout the years. She has been my number-one fan from the very beginning. She has never failed to be there for me. She read through all the horrid first drafts and served as a sounding board for all my ideas, names, and characters. If it weren’t for her, you’d have a book of Bobs, Jills, and thingamajigs.
My very talented mother was also irreplaceable in this venture. She has been an anchor for me throughout the development and publication of this book. She put many hours in helping her computer-illiterate daughter design and format this book and navigate the publication and copyright waters, as well as assisting with many other tasks.
Additional thanks to my father and my husband for their unwavering support, and to Christy Zaires, Kim Kirby, and Thomas Weaver for the many hours they have put in to helping me get this book publication ready. I could not have done it without them.
MaryKate Clark
As a young girl, MaryKate wanted to be a fighter pilot and an astronaut. It is a dream shared by the main character in her series, The Young Soldier. In addition to her science fiction publications, MaryKate has authored multiple children’s plays for community theatre groups, completed an undergraduate thesis, and received an Honors B.A. in English and Literature from the University of Texas at Arlington.
She currently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and two fur-babies, and works as a full-time technical writer. While her travels have yet to take her beyond the borders of this world, she dreams that one day they will take her to the stars.
Table of Contents
Part One
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 3.5
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 8.5
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 11.5
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Part Two
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 16.5
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 21.5
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Part Three
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 29.5
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 33.5