by Mark Barber
“You must be the new guys we were promised,” Rechter could just detect a smile on Varlton’s face under the thick coat of mud which covered him. “How was your trip?”
There was an uncomfortable silence until Meibal responded.
“Strike Trooper Meibal, reporting for assignment to Squad Wen. This is Rechter and Losse.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” Varlton answered. “As you’re new here, let’s learn something about you. One interesting fact about yourselves, from each of you. Go. Starting with you.”
Varlton pointed at Rechter. He said the first thing which was always on his mind and, to him at least, was interesting.
“I just got married the day before I started my training as a strike trooper.”
All four mud-covered soldiers looked at each other and let out the same ‘aww’ simulteanously.
“That’s a good start,” said a trooper who the shard identified as his strike leader, Rhona. “I like a romantic story.”
Rechter was unsure whether he had been met with sarcasm, but the response did not feel welcoming.
“I graduated top of my class in every stage of training,” Meibal added her own interesting fact.
“Boring,” chimed the third trooper, a soldier displayed by the shard as Clythe.
“I can burp the entire alphabet,” Losse offered.
“Way better!” Clythe grinned. “I like that! The wedding story was sweet, but alphabet burp gets my vote.”
“Enough of the ritual humiliation,” Meibal placed her hands on her hips, squaring up to Rhona and looking up at the taller woman. “You’re in command here?”
“Yeah, I am.” Rhona hopped off the fence, chunks of mud falling from her limbs as she did so, “I’m Kat. This guy here covered in mud is Varl, he’s the squad second–in-command. The guy over there covered in mud is Bo, he’s our lance gunner. The quiet one is Lian, he’s like a super martial artist and the boss’s favorite little trooper. Don’t worry if you get Lian and Bo confused, they came as a package deal, and even without all the mud, I still can’t really tell them apart.”
“I’ve had four lessons,” Sessetti offered quietly. “I’m not really a super martial artist.”
“I’ve got to ask,” Losse grimaced, “what happened to you guys?”
“We’re just back from a little recon patrol in the city,” Varlton explained, “we ran into some of the MAA types – they’re the guys who used to be the planet’s army and are now a sort of resistance force – and we had a bit of a shoot out. Anyway, team genius Clythe decided we needed to fall back and led us across what we thought was solid ground. It wasn’t.”
“Turns out that one of us hit a main subterranean water pipe,” Clythe said, “so it got a bit… swampy. Anyway, could be worse. Some of the guys from Squad Jai took cover from an attack a few days ago, they dived into something the locals call a sewage treatment plant. Turns out the natives actually produce waste from their food and drink, like animals, and all that waste has got to go somewhere. So the Squad Jai guys decided to swim in it. So all of a sudden, my decision today doesn’t seem so bad.”
“Look,” Rhona explained, “here’s the deal. Forget everything you’ve seen on war movies, forget all the tough talk and crap from basic training. You guys know how to shoot and you know tactics, so we’re not here to give you a hard time. You’re in our shard now, or at least you will be when I upload you in a moment, so we’re your family out here. I’m your pretend big sister, so if you’ve got any problems, then you come talk to me. Don’t bother with rank unless somebody important is around, it’s first names and nicknames. You’ve already met the senior – don’t piss him off, his bark is colossal, let alone his bite. The company commander is ‘sir’, until you’ve been here for a while, and then he’s ‘boss’. You’ve lucked in with him, he’s…”
“Is he the Ryen Tahl who…” Losse began before trailing off.
“Yeah, that’s him,” Rhona replied, arousing Rechter’s curiosity over what his new commander was famous for. “He’s a good guy, he’s got our backs. A few of us here have seen that personally. For now, just go drop your stuff off in your rooms and then come back here. I’ll give you a tour of the place once I’ve showered all this mud off. Y’all cool, or any problems so far?”
“Are we defending this place, or are we straight up against the Ghar?” Rechter asked, ignoring an admonishing look from Meibal. “They haven’t really told us much of what’s going on out here.”
“The Ghar had two main landings,” Rhona explained, “one here at the capital, another in the Nienne Desert. We’re facing them at both and it’s a bit of a stalemate. Here in the city, we’ve also got the MAA in the fight, so it’s like a big threesome, just nowhere near as sexy. The MAA have some artillery and they’ve bombed this firebase twice now; if the alarm goes off, then just head underground to your room and get a good movie. The bombing lasts a few hours and does nothing. Odds are we’ll be in the city again in the next couple of days, but don’t let that worry you. We’re here to help and we’ll take you by the hand until you’re used to things. Just… try your best to relax and enjoy the weather. Last planet we were on had acid rain every day which would melt your face off. There’s always something to be happy about, right? Get going, I’ll catch you in a few minutes.”
***
Van Noor suppressed a yawn as he leaned over the holographic display of the city which was projected in the center of the briefing room. Stood around the flickering, cyan image was Tahl, the other five company commanders of the 44th Strike Formation along with their own senior strike leaders, and two soldiers from the 3rd Drop Formation. Briefing them all was Owenne, who had taken charge of the planning in the absence of Strike Commander Orless, who had been summoned to the Assault Force HQ.
The normally crowded briefing room seemed all the more sterile with only fifteen occupants; the standard white walls of every C3 Firebase seemed less homely to Van Noor now than ever before.
“The Ghar have moved a number of units across to Pariton from the Nienne Desert,” Owenne continued, highlighting a series of animated arrows on the three-dimensional map projection, “so it’s looking more and more that this will be the site of the decisive battle. Reports coming through indicate that MAA presence is on the increase, so whether that is a pro or a con at this stage is still to be confirmed. Thanks to the shipments of Freeborn weapons which have slipped through, the MAA are now a threat to our forces but are also a threat to the Ghar. One way or another, both have to be dealt with to successfully conclude this campaign and confirm the planet as being completely in Concord hands.”
Van Noor’s attention drifted off a little. He was well aware of the strategic situation, although Owenne’s push to Pariton still confused him. C3 had established a solid perimeter in the Nienne Desert and the campaign was turning in their favor until Owenne suddenly upped sticks and dragged half the assault force across to the city. An unknown area with potential for civilian casualties. It made no sense.
“…so I’ll be leading a reconnaissance patrol into the center of the city this evening,” Owenne continued. “I’ll take a Squad from Beta Company with me. You up for an evening stroll, Ryen?”
“Yes, I’ll be glad to tag along,” Tahl replied.
“Probably worth watching your back, then, Mandarin,” remarked Davi, the senior drop leader from the 3rd Drop Formation, bitterly.
Van Noor felt his temper spike and he was speaking before he had even thought of the words.
“What d’you mean by that?”
“Wouldn’t worry about it,” Davi folded his arms. “If you haven’t worked it out by now, you’re probably not going to.”
“If you’ve got something to say, just spit it out instead of talking in dumb little riddles!” Van Noor snapped. “If you ever…”
“Okay, Bry, okay,” Tahl rested a hand firmly on his shoulder. “Come on, let’s take a walk.”
Van Noor saw the disapproving looks which followed him fr
om the other assembled soldiers as Tahl led him to the back of the briefing room. Simultaneously, Drop Captain Mosse led her deputy to the other side of the room for a similar talk.
“What’s up?” Tahl asked quietly. “That’s not you. Kicking off in a formation level brief? Come on, Bry, what’s going on?”
“I know you’ve got a history with those clowns, and I know you made some enemies, but I’ll be damned if I’m gonna just stand by and keep my mouth shut while some insubordinate asshole with a superiority complex, based on the fact that his hat is red, decides it’s okay for him to serve you neat crap in front of the rest of the command staff. Not on, mate, not acceptable.”
“You’re tired,” Tahl said, his hands held out passively. “We’ve overdue some proper time at home. I know there’s a lot going on for you, but from what you’ve told me, it sounds like things are looking better on the home front. Don’t lose the plot now, not whilst we’re this close to wrapping things up here and going home.”
“Are we?” Van Noor demanded. “First off, it’s been time to go home for the last three planetary assaults, and I don’t believe for a minute that this is the last one. When we’re done here, that bastard Owenne will just send us to the next planet, and then the next one after that. Second, something’s wrong here. Owenne wants this city too badly. Things were looking up in the desert, and then he moved us here. This will be the third time he’s wanted a personal look in the city center in as many days, and he hasn’t given us a single solid reason why. Something’s up, Ryen.”
“I know, I know,” Tahl muttered under his breath, “I’ve noticed. But what do you want to do? Just call him out on it and ask why we changed our approach?”
Before Van Noor could reply, the assembled soldiers finished the brief and filed toward the exit. Owenne stopped momentarily by Tahl and Van Noor.
“I’ll let you children sort out your differences. Be ready to go tonight. Without any adolescent emotional baggage.”
The mandarin left, leaving only Mosse and Davi. Van Noor felt a surge of anger rise again, and he stomped over to the two drop troopers.
“Now everybody else has gone, you can say what you want to say before I take your precious red tiara and shove it up your ass!”
“Piss off, you second rate prick!” Davi snapped. “If you’ve spent your entire career slumming it in the strike corps with all the other losers who aren’t good enough to specialize outside of basic infantry training, that’s your problem and not mine!”
“Senior Drop Leader, that’s enough!” Mosse thundered. “Wait for me outside!”
The short drop trooper exchanged one last look of contempt with Van Noor before dragging his red beret on and barging his way past to the door. Mosse turned her glare to Tahl.
“A word, please, Strike Captain,” she seethed before walking out of the briefing room.
Tahl looked at Van Noor and raised his brow expectantly.
“I’m sorry, Ryen,” Van Noor said, “but I’m not taking this from them. You shouldn’t, either.”
Tahl followed Mosse, his shoulders slumped.
***
“Do you even bother trying to reign in your own troopers, or is that sort of behavior encouraged under your command?” Mosse began angrily, a finger of reprimand pointed squarely at Tahl as the two stood in the relative privacy of the walkway between the towering manor house and the entrance to the subterranean firebase. The suns were setting, painting the whole world in shades of orange. The not unpleasant scent of a plant used for flavoring drinks wafted across the air in the evening breeze.
“Senior Strike Leader Van Noor was speaking up in defense of me,” Tahl said gently. “He thought he was doing the right thing. It was a show of loyalty, that’s all.”
“Lunging at one of my troopers in front of the entire formation command – and a mandarin, no less – and then insulting the entire drop corps?” Mosse snapped.
“He’s been on continuous operations for a long time, and he’s got a lot going on in his personal life,” Tahl said, again keeping his tone passive. “He’s…”
Tahl paused. Van Noor had leapt to his defense after being provoked. It should not have been Tahl who needed to explain anything.
“Davi was acting like an idiot,” Tahl decided, “his behavior was wholly inappropriate and Senior Strike Leader Van Noor was simply the first to point it out. I don’t need to explain my man’s behavior. I support it.”
“You support it?” Mosse spat. “Who the hell do you think you are, Trooper? You treated Davi like crap back in the day, and he has every right to feel the way he does!”
“Back in the day was over ten years ago, Abbi. I’m sorry about how he feels, but if he, or you, for that matter, think that is an excuse for blurting out personal grievances in a high level brief, you are mistaken. And as for who I am? You haven’t got your promotion yet, so right now I’m an officer of equal rank, and I’ll talk to you in any way I feel appropriate. And I’ll certainly defend the actions of men and women under my command if I feel it is appropriate.”
Mosse took a step back as if she had been struck. Her shock gave way to anger a moment later.
“You can’t change,” she sneered, “you can pretend all you want to, but you can’t change. You’re still the same bastard you were when we were kids, no matter how much you pretend you’ve found God or have become spiritual or whatever other lies you want to hide behind. I was wrong to think anything else of you. It’s a good thing the drop corps kicked you out when it did, because you’re not one of us. It’s a good thing I dumped you when I did, too.”
Mosse turned her back and walked away. Tahl watched her go, reeling at the words and their effect on him, but keeping his mouth shut. A few moments passed before Van Noor appeared next to him.
“I owe you an apology, Boss,” he said quietly.
Tahl turned and forced a smile.
“Don’t worry about it, Bry, just try to keep a lid on the temper next time, for both of our sakes.”
“Things not too good with your ex?” Van Noor asked hesitantly.
“Nothing I want to get into right now, not when we’re about to face another night of fool’s errands at the beck and call of Owenne. It’s funny though, isn’t it? How different people see moral high grounds in such different ways. Two people can have an argument – one person calls the other every name under the suns and then storms off, knowing that they have the moral high ground because they got all the insults in and got the last word. The other person keeps their mouth shut and thinks they have the moral high ground because they tried to keep things civil and let the other person vent their feelings without lowering themselves to insults.”
“I reckon I know which one you were,” Van Noor said. “D’you think you’ll ever get back with her?”
“No,” Tahl replied without hesitating, “I don’t see her that way anymore. I want her to be happy, I want things amicable between us, but I could never see her that way again. And then there’s her side of things. Even if she saw me that way, it wouldn’t matter. She’s fully committed to C3 now, no room for personal baggage. You can’t start thinking about marriage and kids when you want to be commander-in-chief of your own expeditionary force.”
“And you?” Van Noor ventured, looking up at the setting suns. “Is that what you want?”
Tahl laughed, a little louder than he was expecting even himself.
“What I want? I want you, me, Rall, Vias, Rhona, Yavn, all of us to survive this mess and go home. I just want all of us to get through this last push, kick the Ghar of this planet, and finally get some leave. Not a couple of days locally, not a quick trip back home. Months. Months of garrison duty, retraining, and recuperation. I want to wake up knowing that I’m going in to work, and all I have to worry about is the weekly training schedule and getting the guys through periodic assessments and progress tests. All that admin crap that’s waiting for us back home. I can’t wait for it, because nobody dies. I’m sick to death of being sh
ot at. I’m sick to death of writing letters to parents and loved ones. I want us all to go home.”
“You’ve set your sights low, my friend,” Van Noor grinned, “and I like it. Come on, let’s go take the mandarin on another sightseeing tour of the touristic city center, and we can get ourselves one step closer to that dream of yours. I’m off to get my kit, I’ll catch you in a couple of minutes.”
Tahl waited until Van Noor had departed and then headed out to the fields to take a few moments to calm himself. The suns lingered on, still casting long shadows across the waist-high crop fields he wandered through, refusing to dip underneath the horizon and allow night to come. By the time Tahl walked back to the firebase, he saw Owenne and Van Noor stood with Squad Wen, armored and ready to go.
“What’s going on?” Tahl demanded as he approached.
“We’re taking Squad Wen with us on the patrol,” Owenne replied as he checked his pistol, “what does it look like?”
“If we’re taking anybody, it’s Squad Teal,” Tahl said, “it’s their turn on the rota and they’re in good shape. Wen is seven troopers, half of which arrived from training about six hours ago. Two of the remaining four have limited experience. They’re not ready.”
“I want Strike Leader Rhona to come,” Owenne smiled at the dark haired woman, who looked uneasily at Tahl. “This will be a good education for her in her next role. I’ve assessed her skills and offered her a position in force intelligence.”
Tahl was speechless. He fought down the rising anger and spent a moment to compose himself before replying.
“It’s my company, Mandarin Owenne, I run it. I’m not sending three troopers who’ve never fired a shot in anger straight into the heart of a Ghar controlled city.”
Owenne paused and nodded before staring at Tahl’s feet with a grim smile.
“It’s your company, as you say,” he admitted, “but as a mandarin, I do have the authority to tell you how to run it. But I’m not like that. We go back a little way, you and I. So I’ll meet you halfway.”