by Chris Hechtl
Also, Lil Red and Lil White left Protodon days not months before the tsunami. I so screwed up with that later scene in Chapter 40. I have no idea how it got there. It was supposed to have taken place before they left. I had every intention of having her have that last load of kittens before her mother and Zelma kicked her off the planet. Oops. So, I will fix it in Retribution by deleting the scene when I do an update.
Also, I originally had ten candidates for the Cadre in PR. I had several officers and the rest noncoms. I changed that to twenty with only the captain (now major, sorry, Josh) as the officer when I started writing this book. Thanks, Wayne, for pointing out my error there as well as that Chapter 40 snafu. :P (it would have been nice to have gotten that last bit earlier, Wayne! Kidding.)
You may have also noted I bumped Lieutenant Lincoln to captain. That actually made sense; I just don't know why I didn't do it in Retribution. Oops. I'm trying to make it work. I hopefully did here.
I honestly wasn't certain if Jethro was going to survive this. I didn't have anything planned out beyond this, and like I said above, he was supposed to be going to Horath. I also had planned for him to get married, but I hadn't planned on him being a dad. She was supposed to get pregnant in this book, not the last. As I said, things change.
I'm curious about what the poll will say. As I write this, the poll has been started by Minion Mike. :) Thanks, Mike, for chumming the waters. The betas started snapping within minutes. Lol
Thomas promised to lead a mob with honest to heavens pitchforks and torches (you can buy anything on the internet these days I guess) if I did kill Jethro off. Given he's one of the few Betas who has visited my home, I had to take his threat seriously enough to rethink my plans. Lol
So, here I am now having to think of new stories for him. Fun. But, that's in the future. For the time being, I'm shifting focus again to someone else. (In this case Shelby Logan's Adventures in Tau, I believe)
You can read more of my mussing; see some of the art and other projects, snippets, and such on my blog.
Dramatis Personae:
Jethro McClintock: Protagonist. Black Neopanther. Master Sergeant turned Warrant W-1.
Bast: A.I. of Jethro embedded in his implants, royal jelly, mind, and suit. She takes on the form of the Egyptian goddess Bastet.
Schultz -Master Gunnery Sergeant, head noncom trainer of DI's and bootcamp. Get transfer to Antigua and Sigma sector in order to reup his contract.
DI Staff Sergeant Alfred Featherly
DI Sergeant Danford -from Seti Alpha 4. Mentioned.
Recruit Jones -Chimera He had blue skin, he was bald, with a slight scale like iridescence to his skin. He had 3 fingers and a thumb on each hand and was a bit gangly. He had a slight muzzle on his face and almost nonexistent ears.
Recruit Jethro Gibbs: -Sniper candidate. From Seti Alpha 4. Father was a sleeper fighter pilot. Now runs a general store. At odds with the mayor who runs the mines. Mother is deceased, cancer.
Lieutenant Khadat Whitman: ONI Neoape assigned to watch over Jethro while he was on Agnosta.
Lieutenant Schneider: Neomutt bomb disposal.
PFC Brie Waver: Neobear. Black bear. Black with brown highlights on the tips of her fur. Running communication's switchboard.
Lieutenant Mike Rivers: Newly promoted human. Lone Wolf Liaison reassigned to MAWTS facility. Arrived a week before Jethro and Moira White Wolf.
Pete Danvers: Human janitor. Contractor. Lower level Assassin's guild member just starting out. Mother Marisa, father Bo.
Giles: Assassin.
Shiela: Neochimp maid at Jethro's temporary billet. Pregnant.
George. nickname Orange. Neo orangutan- practical joker of group. from Kathy's World colony. (J1-private 3rd squad) F platoon grad, mentioned on Kathy's World. -Corporal since he couldn't keep his practical jokes in check.
First Division and Marine leadership:
Brigadier General Jersey Forth: human commander of the Marine corps. Also commander of 1st division before he handed it off to Colonel Bear.
Major V'th: Naga male, XO of 1st Division.
Major R'N'll: Veraxin male in charge of First Brigade
Captain JG Ted M'mbeki: neo chimp male private 3rd squad of Agnosta expedition. Mustanged to officer after expedition. Graduated correspondences classes with a BA in military history. 1st bat commander, 1st brigade 1st division.
Lieutenant Oshko: Charlie company 1st battalion commander.
Captain SG Chewy: 2nd battalion 1st brigade -Chimera. Sasquatch. Brown.
Major Andrea Polenski: 2nd brigade commander
Sergeant Bok: beefy 2 meter tall human sergeant assigned to administration.
Army:
Captain Wade Hayes - Marine transfer. Commander 1st brigade. Promoted to Major before deployment.
Sergeant Stern: Master Sergeant of 1st Brigade
PFC Conway and Kaufman: Water purification techs.
Captain Yee -artillery expert, (poon cameo) Army. Current head of the army. Sleeper from Lemnos.
Captain Church- Transfer from Marines. Army. -Good field commander but lacks admin skills. Cleaned up his act. Lead 1 battalion to Pyrax and then on to Destria and Hidoshi's World to relieve the forces there. Alpha and Beta company earmarked for Destria, Gamma for Hidoshi's World.
Warrant officer 1 Nohar Yellow tiger Rajestan -Sleeper, former cyborg, rebuilt on ET. Has PTSD and some claustrophobia issues. Took over the Army noncoms and shook them out and shaped them up before the arrival of the transplants from Nuevo.
Lieutenant Groon: Neo sabertooth lion.
Second Division:
Lieutenant Colonel Archibald (Archie) Pendeckle: 2nd Division commander in charge of Marine forces on Protodon. 2nd senior most officer in Angosta Marines. (Not including Bekians) Promoted to Brigadier General.
Sergei: Neo white liger. Old friend, grew up together with Hurranna, Jethro and others. Was in Valenko's squad. Senior noncom Staff Sergeant, alpha company brigade 2.
Corporal Chip Onondaga: alpha company brigade 2, alpha platoon heavy worlder male.
Captain Ellington: Neochimp Charlie platoon leader, brigade 2.
Staff Sergeant Netia Kodiak: (means good in russian) daughter of Valenko -Pendeckle's division
Captain V'm'll: Veraxin Able platoon leader. Later Able company commander.
Staff Sergeant Patrick O'malley: Short squat staff sergeant from a coastal town on Agnosta.
Corporal Walker: Human.
Third Division:
Lieutenant Colonel Dana Harley -3rd Division commander. Assigned to Destria. Promoted to Colonel.
Major N'V'll: XO of 3rd division.
Captain Dernigz: Logistics
Captain JG AJ Falco: Aircav company commander. Call sign Alpha Wolf.-KIA spaceport attack II.
Major Blake Zedeal: Chimera Marine Intelligence Officer. Staff. Good. Has stubby horns and a muzzle. Also cloven feet, blue goats eyes, and long floppy ears.
Major R'nz: Veraxin. Former leader of Brigade 2, 2nd Division. Relieved by Major Pendeckle. Resigned post, reassigned to 2nd division. Took a down tick in promotions but finally became a Major. Commander 3rd brigade now brigade 1 division 3.
1st lieutenant Suzzanna Queen -former boot of Jethro's. Female human.
Captain JG Candace Silverman: female Butch, bald. Even shaves eyebrows. Wicked. Smart, but a little too gung-ho for some. (J4- Platoon leader 1st brigade company Bravo. -was promoted to captain of Alpha company brigade 3.)
PFC Fowley: Private in the Colonel's headquarters.
Ris'ha: Naga male from Pyrax space colony. Vehicle driver (J1-pfc 2nd squad) Sergeant. Personal driver (chauffeur of Colonel Harley)
Senjix: Aka Speedy. Cousin to Cheetahra. Friend to Jethro. F platoon graduate, was in Pendeckle's 3rd squad. Staff sergeant.
Brutus: young male neogorilla. Had anger issues early on. Now a sergeant. F platoon graduate, Pendeckle's 3rd squad. (J1) He Has joined a family group with 4 females and children. Settled down and calmed down. MP Hea
dquarters squad. KIA Spaceport attack II.
Captain Debra Irinez
Lieutenant Li Decoure
Lieutenant Ch'th: Naga platoon commander of Gunny Kodiak.
Gunnery Sergeant Anastasia: daughter of Valenko -Harley's division, 2nd brigade.
Mysti: Neochimp female PFC Kodiak's platoon. KIA
Marco: Neo mastiff. Private. Male KIA
Polo: Neocat corpman. Navy PO. KIA
Lance Corporal Waters Darkly: Elf. Male.
Bob: Human private. -KIA
Howard: Chocolate Neodog Marine. Mix of Pitbull and Lab. PFC has scars on his face.
Private Dolph Pvesk: -KIA Spaceport attack II.
Jack: Private Neochimp Marine at the spaceport. Friend and fellow boot of Dolph.
Sergeant Jasmine Ivanovich
Private Red Claw: Neocat, red with black stripes. -female.
Elliot Sanchez: Navy corpsman. Human.
Sergeant AJ Petrovich: Beta battalion Alpha company heavy weapons. Female. -KIA
PFC Ishmael Sin: KIA
Lieutenant Susami Liu: ONI representative assigned to Third Division.
Ensign Bridgett Summers: Human communications officer on General Murtough.
Lieutenant Eros: Senior officer on duty on General Murtough.
Gurney Hernandez: Civilian government leader of Destria mission. Engineer and administrator.
Miguel: worker/civic transport engineer.
Fourth Division:
Major (later lieutenant Colonel) Valenko Kodiak: 4rth Division commander, Neogrizzly.
Major Chase Rice: XO Neodog male. Rottwieler mix.
Captain SG Demi Alaina: Intelligence
Captain JG Leena Chen: Logistics
Corporal Wesley Zipes: Neochimp.
Pinash: Veraxin female: shooter/communication's tech Pa'nash also known as pinash. -Staff Sergeant, Valenko's division.
Asazi: Heavyworlder female, former bar bouncer and fight club fighter. Amazon, has a healed broken nose and battered prize fighter face. Staff Sergeant. -Valenko's division.
Nuevo and Bek transplants:
Lieutenant Colonel Pasha 1010111 -Nuevo army militia officer -Takes over Army Later promoted to Colonel and then Brigadier General.
Lieutenant Olivia Lincoln: -Nuevo Army militia officer -Promoted to Captain JG.
Major Theodore Edward Bear IIXXX: -neopolar bear Marine -Goes to Agnosta. Given temporary command of 1st division, then given 5th division. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
Betty Paige: Neochimp, F platoon grad. Was in Pendeckle's 3rd squad on Agnosta. Now a Sergeant on Antigua.
Harley Quinn: Neohyena female. Practical joker. Member of F platoon and Pendeckle's 3rd squad on Agnosta. Now a lieutenant in Senka or Triang.
Selkie mission:
Lieutenant Nail Johnson: human male
PO2nd Kendra Xev: Chimera female. Corpsman and biologist.
Po1st Al Brushard: Neochimp male. Navy recruiter.
Po 3rd class Tia Galsworthy: Neobonobo-chimp female. Navy recruiter with electronic tech experience.
Lance Corporal Zanjeer CXXI: Neo yellow lab mutt. Marine recruiter. Was in ordinance detection and disposal before he changed MOS.
Captain Olaf Smearof (navy) -arctic white chimera. Big nose, white hair. Blue eyes.
Koko: elder female shamman selkie. -passed away
Kirima: female arctic seal. Interested in Deja
Yutu: Male walrus. Agressive. Name means claw, or to claw. -new leader of the village. Supposedly had killed a great white shark on his own. He had a shark tooth necklace to prove it. Bully. Presumed dead.
Yoksolo: male elder of village selkie. Old, fat. isolationist. -surpassed by Yutu. Mutters darkly from outside perimeter of village. Dead.
Tulimak: Neowalrus from Agnosta on Caroline. Helmsman.
Qilaq: Neo sealion from Agnosta on Caroline. Medical student forced to be a helmsman.
Nilak: (Inuit for fresh water ice) -male elder, beachmaster of selkie. Father of miki.
Anik (Inuit for seer) -grandmother, village elder. Harbor seal. Grandmother of Malik.
Ublureak (Inuit for Star) -Juvenile selkie.
Aga (Inuit for mother) Mother of Selkie juvenile who was torn apart by a shark. Harbor seal.
Arnaaluk (Inuit for female water spirit)Healer Selkie arctic gray.
Malik (Inuit for New Ice) Selkie juvenile male Harbor seal Selkie killed by the shark. Son of Aga.
Olive: Female Selkie juvenile.
Selkie who are recruited:
Sangilak (Inuit for Strongest of All) selkie leopard seal juvenile male injured by white shark attack. lost his left leg flipper. Agreed to join the military.
Kuvageegai (Inuit for Patriot) selkie juvenile fur seal male injured by white shark attack. Bitten in thorax and crippled. Agreed to join the military. -Marine
Miki (Inuit for little) Selkie Harbor seal juvenile, runt. male, brutalized by father into agreeing to join the military.
Nauja (Inuit for Seagull) selkie female Sea Lion who was injured by a white shark attack. lost her right arm flipper at the shoulder. Agreed to join the military. -Medic
Akrittok (Inuit for soft) female selkie. Elephant seal. raped by beachmaster. Agreed to join the military to get away from the clans. -Marine
Class I Cadre candidates:
Major Joshua Lyon: AI: Mars. Command suit.
Letanga: NeoLeopard, cousin to Jethro. Climber, sneak specialist. Limited stealth ability. Gunnery Sergeant. AI -Satet: female fertility goddess. Protector of Southern Egypt. Has an Ankh. -Letanga A.I. Scout suit.
Tikaani: Female neowolf- arctic wolf. classic coloration. Tikaani Inuit name for wolf (J1-private 2nd squad) Sergeant (got into 1 too many bar fights and held up on promotions) Shooter suit AI Meidina.
Tungulria: Male neowolf- black sneak specialist. Tungulria Inuit for black one. aloof, loner. sniper. (J1-pfc 2nd squad) Sergeant. AI Fenrir. Scout suit.
Blue eyes: (Lance Corporal J4),-Corporal- arctic fox male -sniper/spotter sneak/tracker -From Agnosta Scout suit. AI: Tamamo-no-Mae
Tusinia Asami: (Lance Corporal J4), -Sergeant- Neo saber tooth wolf mix female. Black and white fur Shy due to teeth making it hard to eat. Had them shaved but still difficult. -shooter/tracker/sneak -From Agnosta -shooter suit AI: Anubis
Omri Vidal: (PFC J4)-Lance Corporal- Human male -sniper -From Agnosta -corporal Scout suit. AI:Houyi
Roarack: Neowolf recruit from Kathy's World. Suvivor -J5 -Private Scout suit. AI: The Morrigan
Pamplona: verpine female-red fox/desert fox/arctic fox pilot- Pamplona -Inuit name for rock (J1-pfc 3rd squad) Staff Sergeant Scout suit. AI: Zako
Shiku: verpine male - sneak specialist like jethero. arctic fox/red fox Shiku- Inuit name for ice (J1-pfc 3rd squad) Staff Sergeant Scout suit. AI: Zenko KIA
Gunny Z'v'll: Veraxin Cadre candidate. -engineering suit. AI:Ll'n'll; Veraxin minor smith god.
Staff sergeant Shic Chavers: Neochimp. - has had armor training, has armor. -shooter suit AI: Sun Wukong (Goku)
Jasper Flinx: PFC human. Heavy weapons. Male AI:Banzai -promoted to Lance Corporal.
Nia Khan: Private, heavy worlder/chimera. Female Heavy weapons AI:Takahai
Lobo: Neocoyote/jackal. Private Male -Scout suit. AI: Coyote.
Silvia Delgado: Private Neogorilla female Mixed breed. Heavy weapons suit. -AI: Anjaneya
Private Cocoa: black bear female with brown highlights. Private. Heavy weapons suit. AI: Callisto
PFC Kil Littledeath: Human female, shooter, existing armor and training. Dropped out due to accident before fully initialized.
PFC Bernie Fowler: Shooter suit existing armor and armor training. -dropped out before fully initialized. Medical discharge.
Class II (Phase II)
Corporal Larisa Tortaille: Human female. Was deployed on Protodon. Red eyes. Shooter.
Lance Corporal Uraj Majoric: Neo black bear mix. Was deployed on Protodon with recon.
Corporal Dave Phillips: Human chimera black skin, was
deployed on Protodon. Recon. AI Osiris. KIA.
Lance Corporal Sebastian Cruz: Black Neolab. Recon
PFC Tishiro Kaito: Human Shooter, martial arts master
Lance Corporal TJ Parson: (Parson) Neogrizzly, Heavy weapons.
PFC Dizzy Chapsworth: Shooter Human.
Lance Corporal Helen Larson: Shooter, human female.
Lance Corporal Troy Blackfoot: Heavy weapons, Native American, big.
Sergeant V'n'r: Veraxin male. Heavy Weapons
Sergeant Sully Morris: Neochimp: Shooter
Corporal Lance Richards: Neogorilla, engineer
Call signs:
Shooters (rifleman) Winchester (1-x)
Recon: Romeo (1-x)
Command: Charlie (1-x)
Heavy Weapons: Ogre (1-x)
Location of the old Squad:
Valenko Kodiak: Major, division commander. Fast track promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. Neogrizzly. 2 daughters, both in the Marines.
Sergei: white liger male. heavy weapons and demolition 4 meters tall -Staff Sergeant- Alpha squad 2nd brigade Pendeckle's division, Protodon)
Hurranna: lynx female. former stripper. 1 meter tall. Warrant officer, -Squadron commander, Kittyhawk
Gusterson: Neogreyhound navy medic, in Pyrax in college to become a doctor. Graduated as a second lieutenant and on the hospital ship the Mary Eliza Mahoney.
Asazi: Heavyworlder female, former bar bouncer and fight club fighter. Amazon, has a healed broken nose and battered prize fighter face. Staff Sergeant. -Valenko's division.
Clive Bret: Former PFC married with a kid. Left the corps when his contract was up. Runs a bar with his wife.
Kiara: Neolioness, daughter of Nara and Simba, love interest of Kovu. -Lance Corporal. Broke up with Kovu. In Harley's division, 1st brigade.
Kovu: J2-Private,) uppity neolion with a superiority chip on his shoulder. short black mane, normally would be scruffy. out-masses Jethro but not as smart. Kovu has a reputation as a black sheep in the cat family, bad boy. Cousin to Leo. Shooter and junior sniper -He had been critically injured in battle of Antigua Prime. Medivaced in stasis pod. Rebuilt. Time in stasis stalled his career, though he did get a purple heart and combat medal. -Corporal, Division 1.
Pinash: Veraxin female: shooter/communication's tech Pa'nash also known as pinash. -Staff Sergeant, Valenko's division.