“What’s that all about?” she asked, but her arms crept up around his back as she returned the hug.
People milled about, flowing around the two young people as they stood there, holding each other.
“Well, enough of that, little brother,” she said after a few long moments. “Let’s get this over with.”
The two walked up the broad esplanade, past the fountain, and got in line to the Federation Building. The war had been over for a year, but still security was heightened. It took almost 20 minutes to get to the head of the line, then it was full body-scans to get inside the building. Noah knew that hidden scanners were also in play, and as always, he felt more than a little self-conscious.
In addition to the normal kiosks, the Federation Building had a real person at a large, round reception desk. Without hesitation, Esther marched right up to it.
“I’d like to see the Marine recruiter, sir,” Esther announced.
“Do you have an appointment, ma’am?” the elderly gentleman asked.
“Not for today. Tomorrow. But we’re in town now and thought we might be able to take care of this now.”
“I understand, ma’am, but you should have called. All the recruiters are in an admin stand-down today. I don’t think anyone is available for walk-ins.”
Esther tilted her head back and lowered her chin at the same time.
Grubbing hell! She’s going to go off on the poor guy, Noah thought, recognizing her trademark gesture.
To his surprise, she clamped down on whatever she was going to say, waited a moment, then asked, “And will anyone be available this afternoon, after lunch?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but according to the POD,[2] all of them will be in required training. I think it’s best if you just come back tomorrow for your scheduled appointment,” the man said.
“Uh, Mr. Patterson, is it?” she asked, looking at his name tag. “I understand what you are saying, but could you at least take my name and let the head recruiter know I stopped by?”
And Noah began to see the method to her madness.
“Certainly, miz. I’d be happy to. May I have your ID?”
Esther held out her wrist, which the receptionist scanned.
“OK, I’m forwarding it now, Mz Lysand—” he started before looking up in surprise. “Esther Lysander? As in Ryck Lysander?”
“Well, the general was our father, so I guess yes.”
“I . . . let me call Master Sergeant Sukarho. Wait a second, please.”
Esther leaned nonchalantly on the desk, looked back, and winked at Noah as the receptionist hurriedly punched something on his display screen.
Noah could hear him mumbling before he looked up and said, “The Top will be here in a few moments. If you could just wait?”
“Oh, I didn’t want you to go into any trouble. I don’t want any special privileges!” she said sweetly.
Like hell you don’t, Noah thought.
It was a little funny, though, to see the receptionist fret. On one hand, Noah felt for the man. On the other, it was somewhat surreal. Neither Esther nor he was their father. They were not Marines. They were just two civilian kids.
Within two minutes, a large, barrel-chested Marine master sergeant strode down the hall, feet clicking on the stone floor with each step. He had most of the look of a heavy-worlder, lacking only the short neck. He could just be a weight-lifter, Noah realized.
“Ms. Lysander, I’m surprised to see you today. I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir. But I just got in, and I wanted to see if we could get this done today, if possible.”
“Well, I don’t see why not. The major wanted to see you, but we’re in the middle of an admin stand-down, and he’s not in. Still, if you want, we can get the ball rolling.”
“I don’t want to put anyone into any trouble,” Esther said in her I-know-what-I’m-saying-but-don’t-believe-me tone of voice.
“Oh, no trouble, Mz Lysander, believe me,” he assured her. Lowering his voice in a conspiratorial tone, he added, “Believe me, no trouble. You’re getting me out of a gender neutrality seminar, and I should thank you for that. Boring!
“Not that I am prejudice against women in the Corps,” he hurriedly added, his expression changing to one of concern as he seemed to realize that not only was Esther female, but it had been their father who had changed the policy to allow women to serve again. “No problem with me on that!”
Esther nodded, placed her hand on the master sergeant’s arm, and said, “I know that. And I just appreciate you taking the time to help me out on this. So, where do we go?”
“Oh, to the second deck. If you can follow me?”
As both Noah started to follow, the master sergeant said, “If you can wait, sir, Mz Lysander can call you when she’s finished.”
“This is my brother, Noah, and I’d like him to accompany me, if that’s OK?”
“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t realize who you are. Of course, if you want, you can come up to the office. Of course!”
With Noah walking behind them, the master sergeant regaled Esther with tales of boot camp, of what she could expect there, and how proud the Corps would be to have her among its ranks. Noah noted that nowhere did he touch on the 27% drop- rate of recruits overall, nor the 34% drop-rate for women. When their father had opened the Corps to everyone, it had been done under the stipulation that there would be no lowering of standards, period. While women were integrating far easier in the Navy and now the FCDC,[3] fewer women passed the entry qualifications for enlistment into the Marines (which wasn’t surprising, as few men did as well), and of those who made it to boot camp, a lower percentage of women graduated than men.
Noah had no such worries about Esther. She was smart, physically fit, and more than that, mentally tough. Esther would make it through boot camp without breaking a sweat. But he thought that for transparency, the recruiter should mention all facts, good and bad, instead of painting book camp as some sort of frat party.
The three passed the Navy Liaison Office, the waiting room empty and dark. The Navy was still the main power player in the Federation, but with first their father, and now Chairman MacCailín, that was two chairmen in a row who had not come up through the Navy ranks. From some of the various talking heads on the holos, the Navy wasn’t pleased with this and was already maneuvering to restore all that is right in the universe by getting one of their own in the position after the current chairman stepped down.
The lights were on in an office further down the hallway, but the flag of Greater France outside the door threw Noah for a moment. Then he realized it wasn’t the Marine Corps office, but that of the Legion. Esther didn’t seem to notice it, but Noah felt a ghost’s touch sweep over him. Over 30 years ago, his father had marched into that office, determined to join the Legion. Somehow, he’d enlisted in the Corps instead, putting events into motion that would eventually lead him to being awarded two Novas, become the commandant, lead the Evolution, and become chairman.
Begetting Esther and him in the process.
If he had joined the Legion, neither one of them would be standing here today. That was a simplistic view, he knew. If he hadn’t become friends with their uncle, Joshua, his mother and father never would have met. If battles had gone slightly different, his father would have been killed.
If, if, if.
Standing here, though, as the master sergeant scanned open the door to a much smaller office, it just hit him stronger at how capricious the universe could be.
“Oh, the major just zapped me. He’s on his way,” the master sergeant said, looking at his PA.
“He’s coming in on his day off?” Esther asked.
“He has to. You need an officer to swear you in. He’ll be here in about 40 minutes. It’ll take that long to get the paperwork done. Luckily, you’ve already taken your aptitude tests back on Earth, and your physical is noted. You did extremely well, I might add, although that could be expected, I guess, consideri
ng your pedigree.”
That was the master sergeant’s first overt reference to their father. Noah knew that just getting in today was because of that, but the recruiter hadn’t actually acknowledged any special privileges or considerations.
“So, I’ve asked Chastity—she runs most of the admin—to come on up, and we can get this going.
“Mr. Lysander, if you can wait here, we’ll be stepping back into the office to get these things done. We won’t be too long.”
Noah took a deep breath. He still wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do, and he almost backed out.
“No, I’d rather come back with you, Master Sergeant.”
“But that’s only for official poolees, sir,” he said, clearly getting flustered. “I mean, I guess I can make an exception, considering your father, but this is against regs.”
“You can wait, Noah. Like the top says, it won’t be long.”
“I don’t want any special privileges, and I don’t want you to break regulations.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Oh my God,” Esther said, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth in surprise.
She always did understand me before anyone else.
“I want to enlist, too.”
The master sergeant’s mouth dropped open, then he shifted his gaze from him to Esther and back to him.
“Really?” he asked.
“Yes, sir. I’m ready.”
“Well! Well! This is great. I need to pull someone in for the tests—”
“Already done. You can look them up,” Noah said, offering his wrist.
The clearly flustered recruiter scanned Noah, then pulled up his records. Noah leaned in to retinally give the master sergeant permission to view them.
“Yes, here they are. Good scores,” he said, the professional recruiter coming out. “No problem there. And I see your physical. You had that done at St. Theresa’s, so it’s good enough for a temporary acceptance.
“You’ll have to get another physical at a Federation facility, and if there’s a health issue, your enlistment will be voided, but I don’t see a problem with that.
“No, everything looks good on this end. Sure, we can get both of you sworn in when the major gets here.”
“How long have you had this planned,” Esther asked quietly.
“Six months. Maybe longer.”
“Glad you could fill me in,” she said, her displeasure evident.
Noah hadn’t told Esther because he wasn’t sure he was going to go through with it. There were a million reasons why this was a bad idea. There was only one reason why it was a good one. Despite what he’d told Esther back on Tarawa, that she should enlist only if it was something she wanted to do for herself, he was ignoring his own advice. It didn’t make any kind of logical sense, but that one reason trumped all the reasons against enlisting.
Noah was enlisting to please his father and finally gain his approval.
TARAWA
Chapter 4
Esther
“Recruits Lysander, E. and Lysander N., fall in on me.”
Esther immediately jumped off the rack where she was stowing her gear, and took off to the DI, beating Noah by at least five seconds.
Staff Sergeant Mallinka Hoteah, their senior DI, stood by the front hatch, glowering at them.
“Recruit Lysander N., why did Recruit Lysander E. beat you here by half a day?”
“I . . . no excuse, Senior Drill Instructor!” Noah managed to get out.
Come on, Noah, buckle down, Esther thought.
“You’re starting out on a bad foot, recruit. You’d better get yourself an attitude adjustment.
“Now look, you two. The battalion commander wants to see both of you. Why he cares about two slimy-ass recruits is beyond my military mind, so help me, but we’re going across the grinder to the CP. We will go in where we will stand at parade rest until the sergeant major calls your weak-ass bodies into the CO’s office. You will center yourself on the lieutenant colonel’s desk . . . do you know what that means?”
“Yes, Senior Drill Instructor Hoteah,” the twins said in unison.
“Thank God for small favors,” he said with mock sincerity. “You two will center yourselves on his desk and listen to what he has to say. If he asks you have anything to say back to him, the only answer is ‘no, sir!’ Is that understood?”
“Yes, Senior Drill Instructor Hoteah.”
“Let me make one thing exceptionally clear. You two may know half of the generals in my beloved Corps. The Chairman of the Federation Council might be your best buddy. But now, in this series, your asses belong to me. There is no one higher than me, and no one can make your worthless lives as miserable as I can. So you can forget all about your high and mighty friends, because they don’t mean shit here. I own you!” he said, and then with a forefinger punching into each of their foreheads in beat with the words, asked, “Do . . . you . . . understand . . . that?”
Despite her best efforts, Esther flinching each time his left forefinger hit her forehead. She thought she understood the score, that she knew the mind games of boot camp, but the drill instructor seemed angry, angry enough to actually cause her harm. For the first time since their arrival at midnight some nine hours earlier, she felt a degree of uncertainty.
“Yes, Senior Drill Instructor Hoteah,” she stammered out, half-a-second behind Noah.
“Just remember that. Now, on my ass,” he said as he spun about and pushed through the hatch.
Esther and Noah marched at attention, their eyes locked on the senior drill instructor’s back, and they left the barracks and crossed the flat grinder. The sun was just climbing into the sky, a warning of the heat that would come with the afternoon. Esther would welcome that kind of heat—being on their senior’s shit list not even ten hours into their training was far more worrisome.
The three of them entered the large, ornate doors into the battalion CP. Holos and plaques covered the bulkheads of the passage—not that Esther dared look at them. She followed their senior until he pointed at a spot along one of the bulkheads while he growled out something she couldn’t make out. Hoping she was correct, she came to parade rest, Noah doing the same beside her.
“Don’t move,” the senior said before he disappeared into an office.
“What do you think—” Noah started to whisper beside her.
“Shh!” she hissed, wondering if he really could be that stupid.
A few moments later, a Marine came out of the same office into which the senior disappeared. He strode to them, gave them the once over, and asked, “Did Senior Drill Instructor Hoteah tell you that you will only answer direct questions. Unless he’s asking you your freaking birthdays or your maiden aunt’s name, the only answer is ‘Yes, sir’ or “No, sir?’”
“Yes, Chief Drill Instructor,” Noah said.
How did I forget him? Esther wondered, glad that Noah, at least had.
She’d never been great with faces, but the gunnery sergeant had “welcomed” them to the platoon right after their heads were shaved and they’d changed into their recruit overalls. And keeping her head rigid and eyes to the front, she’d never really gotten a good look at the man.
“I asked you a question, Recruit,” he said again, moving to stand right in front of her.
“Yes, Chief Drill Instructor!”
“Gunny Duluth, send in the recruits,” a voice called from down the passage.
“Atten-hut! Right face!” the gunny hissed. “Center yourself on the CO’s desk.
Esther was tempted to remind the gunny that they hadn’t been trained in drill yet, but realized that was a bad, bad move. Both she and Noah had seen enough parades in their lives to know what to do.
A captain, a lieutenant, and a first sergeant were coming out of the CO’s office. All three stood and watched as Esther and Noah marched down the passage. The captain looked like he was about to say something, but he held back.
The first sergeant, thou
gh, hissed, “Say nothing!”
I know, I know. We’re not allowed to talk.
Esther completed a credible right turn (at least she thought it was credible) into the office and marched up to a large desk, behind which stood a tall, pleasant-looking lieutenant colonel. Esther immediately noted his Silver Star. That was nothing compared to her father’s awards, but it wasn’t too shabby.
She came to a stop, wondering if she should sound off immediately. Instead, she waited for Noah to come alongside her. Only, he stepped too far, and had to come back one step so that they were even.
“Recruit Esther Lysander, reporting as ordered, sir!” she said, almost, but not quite in unison with Noah.
“At ease, recruits,” the CO said.
Esther wasn’t quite sure what that meant from a practical standpoint. She slipped into a parade rest, thinking that was safer.
“I’m Lieutenant Colonel Sung,” the CO said, “and I’d like to welcome you to the Third Recruit Training Battalion. I don’t normally welcome each recruit, but as you can imagine, the two of you present a rather unique situation that merits not only my attention, but the General O’Leary’s as well.”
Esther knew of the general. He’d served with her father with some distinction, but she hadn’t realized he was the depot’s CG. Regardless, she wasn’t sure just why the Noah and she presented any issues.
“Normally, we wouldn’t put siblings in the same company, much less series, but there is quite a bit of media interest in you two.”
Really? Esther wondered, rather surprised.
“This puts a strain on our manpower here. The depot is run lean and mean, and we don’t have the personnel to deal with the media and government attention.”
He must have noticed the confusion on either Noah’s or her face, because he snorted and said, “Do you know I got a call today, from the Chairman herself, asking if you two had arrived safely and were ‘fitting in,’ she said.”
Oh, shit, just what I need.
The CO had asked them a question, but mindful of their senior’s warning (as well as the chief’s and first sergeant’s), she kept quiet.
The United Federation Marine Corps' Lysander Twins: The Complete Series: Books 1-5 Page 4