Though the Stars Fall (United Humanity Marine Corps Book 1)

by Bill Roberts

  I charge down the ramp. At the bottom of the ramp I see a sailor wearing a quartermaster badge. I say: “Our ten guests are in the Colt. Show them to their berthing. Please fill it with fresh towels, beer, and pizzas immediately. Bill me for the beer.”

  “Aye Aye, Sir,” the quartermaster replies and walks rapidly up the ramp.

  I see Cait across the landing bay heading through a hatch into a passageway. I run across the landing bay and enter the passageway. The way to medical is well marked. I follow the signs and soon enough enter the medical bay. Inside Bennie is already on a bed and the surgeon is pushing some medicine from a plunger into Bennie’s IV. Bennie has his eyes on Cait standing at the foot of the bed mutely. “Cait, are you okay? You haven’t said a word,” he says.

  Cait makes a strangled sort of noise. She is not going to last much longer. I look over at Bennie and we share a quick look. I point at the medical personnel hovering over Bennie and say: “You. Leave now, please.” The surgeon looks ready to argue, so I add: “I am perfectly willing to make this ugly, but it shouldn’t come to that should it?” The surgeon decides discretion is the better part of valor and leaves ushering his corpsman out in front of him. As soon as he is gone Cait lurches over to Bennie and hugs him like a drowning man hugs a life preserver. Bennie just wraps his arms around her as a lifetime of fear and stress and horror erupt from Cait in wracking sobs.

  I turn around and leave medical. The surgeon is standing outside. He starts to say something but I interrupt him: “I know Bennie needs supervision after being unconscious that long. I know Agent Green has post-traumatic stress disorder so bad she probably needs to be sedated. But right now the two of them are getting exactly what they need. If I find out you go into that room before either one of them asks you to I will beat you to within an inch of your life. So help me God.” I turn on my heel and head for the bridge. As I walk I feel the ship fold away from Dystan. As the disorientation from the fold clears I curse heartless Ministries and stupid mercenaries. I curse fate for being a cruel bitch and a saving angel all at the same time. But, mostly I curse the Tangul. When the cowards finally stop hiding behind mercenaries and declare all-out war I am seriously going to enjoy killing as many of them as I possibly can.

  CHAPTER 18

  Going Home

  The sound of my footsteps echo off the walls of the hallway I walk through. They mix and merge with the sound of Lance’s footfalls next to me. We have been summoned. For some reason Langsdorf wants to see us. I have no idea what it is about, but since he has just asked for Lance and me, I am pretty sure nothing terrible has happened. As the months of training pilots has merged into years the fear of the Synti has not really dulled. I still wake up every morning wondering if today is going to be the day. In fact, after two and a half years, the odds of the Synti showing up grow steadily every day. I dismiss these thoughts. Langsdorf has to want us for something else.

  We reach his door and I knock on it loudly. After a brief pause Langsdorf loudly announces: “Enter!” I open the door and head in with Lance on my heels. As we cross Langsdorf’s office he continues: “Ahh, you two knuckleheads. Grab a seat.”

  Lance and I sit in the chairs facing Langsdorf’s desk. I cross my legs and lean back. I have long since become absolutely comfortable in Langsdorf’s presence. He still has a razor sharp tongue and a mischievous attitude to go with it, but it has become as comfortable as a warm blanket over the years. I steeple my hands and say: “You summoned us, my lord?”

  Lance laughs and I smile as Langsdorf scowls and says: “Real funny Shawn. In fact, I have had it with you and your utter lack of respect for my exalted position. You’re fired.” He looks over at Lance and continues: “You too, smartass.”

  The smile does not leave my lips. This is a new spiel from Langsdorf, but it follows all the old themes. Lance answers for us: “Great! When do we leave?”

  Langsdorf’s scowl grows in ferocity. He stands and puts his hands on his desk and leans towards us saying: “0800 tomorrow. A Humvee will meet you at the front door and take you to the airfield.”

  My smile dies. This is sounding way too detailed to be a joke. I shoot Lance a quick glance and see that he seems to be coming to the same conclusion. I uncross my legs and lean forward and say: “Wait a minute. You’re serious aren’t you?”

  “Bet your ass,” Langsdorf shoots back. “You two have finally done it. All of these years of being vaguely useful have finally caught up to you.” He resumes scowling at us.

  I search Langsdorf’s face closely. He had not said anything about us not cutting it, ever. What the hell … wait. I analyze the last sentence in my mind a little more closely. I lean back and cross my legs again and ask: “Where’re we going?” Lance shoots me a glance of his own. I see the gears turning rapidly, and after a couple of moments he too relaxes and leans back in his chair. I turn back to Langsdorf. “Well?” I add.

  The scowl disappears and Langsdorf sits back down. He says: “Damn it, I was hoping to really make you squirm. It is probably a good thing that you’re leaving. You two aren’t nearly as fun to pick on as you once were.” He picks up a small stack of papers off his desk and starts reading from it: “Headquarters Marine Corps directs Lieutenant Colonel Shawn Morris to return to Camp Pendleton no later than January Twentieth, Two-Thousand and Twenty-One. There he will assume command of 2nd Heavy Armored Battalion.” He shuffles the papers a bit and continues: “Headquarters Marine Corps directs Lieutenant Colonel Lance Benson to return to Camp Pendleton no later than January Twentieth, Two Thousand and Twenty-One. There he will assume command of 3rd Heavy Armored Battalion.” Lance sets the papers down and smiles at us with genuine warmth. “Congratulations gents. I cannot think of any Marine officers more deserving of taking command of the Marine Corps’ two newest heavy armored battalions.” His smile grows lopsided and he adds: “Other than me of course.”

  Shock floods me. I knew the crop of Marine Kodiak Pilots we are training right now are destined to form the core of these new battalions, but I never thought we would get tagged to command them. I always imagined they would go to one of the Lieutenant Colonels we are training. I say: “I never expected to get picked for command.”

  Langsdorf replies: “I would like to say that I am shocked, but that would be a lie. The truth is I have been lobbying for this for the last six months. Nobody knows more about Kodiaks and armored warfare than you two. It seems like Headquarters Marine Corps has finally decided to listen to me. Come tomorrow you will leave Heavy Combat Systems and go where the Marine Corps needs you most.” He smiles. “I will say this just this once: I don’t know where we would be without you guys. It’s been a great pleasure working with the both of you. I’ll miss having you around.” The smile grows lopsided. “With you two gone, who else can I expect to do boneheaded things around here?”

  I have no idea what to say. I respected and liked Langsdorf before I got to wonderland. But, over the last two and a half years that respect has become admiration and the like has become love. I am seriously going to miss this mischievous bastard. Finally I work out a simple: “Thank you, Sir.” Lance echoes my sentiment a moment later.

  Langsdorf stands and replies: “I know it’s early December, but I’m getting you out of here so you can get settled in Pendleton. Besides, I know Liz and the kids will love having you home for Christmas. You need to go tell your students and pack. I won’t keep you any longer.” Lance and I stand in response to these words. “Also, since I know you’re afraid to ask Lance, I will work with the Army to get your wife out of here as soon as possible, I might even be able to swing them making up some reason to get her sent to Pendleton.”

  Lance looks shocked as he says: “Thank you, Sir.”

  Langsdorf holds out his hand and we both shake it. That done Lance and I turn and leave his office. Out in the government beige hallway we stop and face each other. Lance says it first: “I can’t believe that just happen
ed.”

  “Neither can I,” I reply. “I thought we would be stuck here training people until the Synti came.”

  Lance bursts out in happy laughter: “You and me, battalion commander’s together. This is gonna be great.”

  I hold my fist out and he bumps it. I say: “Let’s go show ‘em how things are done.”

  Lance returns: “Partners to the hilt.” We need to tell people. This time of day everyone will be in the chow hall. We start heading that way rapidly. After about ten steps Lance slaps me on the back and says: “You can finally live with your family again.”

  Good God, I cannot wait. I have seen Liz and the kids several times over the last couple of years. After it became clear Lance and I would be here a while we were put on a rest and recuperation cycle that got us home for two weeks every three months. But, that is no way to live really. It is almost as bad as not going home at all. Now I will sleep with Liz every night, help Josh practice soccer, and be able to threaten Esther’s boyfriends properly. It will be fantastic. I reply to Lance: “I can’t wait. Tough about you and Jenn though.” Lance married Captain Jennifer Roberts, about a year and a half ago. And all of us have been jealous of them being able to live together here in Wonderland ever since.

  Lance just laughs and says: “My turn to be jealous. Yeah, sure it will suck, but I trust Langsdorf. It won’t be long.”

  I smile back and continue down the hall happily. The reality of gaining command and going home, is settling in. Sure standing up a new battalion will require a ton of work and more than a few headaches. But, there will be the pride and satisfaction of making something great. And for the truly awful days at least I will be able to go home to my family. I have enjoyed my time here in Wonderland. I have done some amazing and wonderful things. And one day in the future I may look back on my time here and be able to say that I personally made a difference in the fate of humanity. No mean feat that. But, that being said, I feel like I am leaving prison.

  These thoughts carry me through the hallway till we arrive at the doors to the chow hall. We burst into the chow hall. No other word for it. The room is packed with the latest crop of students and the old hands of Heavy Combat Systems. Some of them look up at our loud entrance. We ignore them and look for our table of cronies. Lance says: “Right back corner,” then heads that way. I follow behind him rapidly.

  Chief Warrant Officer Malloy, Lieutenant Colonel Ramirez, Lieutenant Colonel Harkins, and Captain Roberts are all sitting together chatting amicably. Lance and I reach the table and sit down next to our friends. When we do Malloy notices our lack of food and asks: “You guys not hungry?”

  “We got news,” I reply. Everyone stops what they are doing and looks at me. I look over at Lance and arch an eyebrow. He nods back. Cool I get to go first. Actually not cool. He probably is kind of dreading telling Jenn. Either way I continue: “You are looking at the commander of 2nd Heavy Armored Battalion. Well, come January anyway.”

  “Holy Shit,” Malloy says.

  Harkins whacks me on the back and says: “Congratulations, Shawn!”

  Ramirez smiles and says: “Excellent, Thurgood owes me ten bucks.”

  Jenn makes the connection instantly. She looks at Lance and says: “You’re leaving too aren’t you?”

  “Yes. I am taking command of 3rd Heavy Armored,” Lance replies in a slightly subdued tone.

  “Holy Shit,” Malloy says.

  Harkins whacks Lance on the back and says: “Congratulations, Lance!” Takes a look at Jenn’s serious face and adds uncomfortably: “On getting command I mean.”

  Ramirez frowns and says: “Crap, now I owe Thurgood ten bucks.”

  Jenn and Lance ignore the byplay as they look at each other. Jenn breaks the silence first: “I’m sorry Lance. This is great news, really it is, but I would be lying if I said I’m completely happy about this.”

  Lance starts to reply, but before he gets a word out Malloy, genius that he is, interrupts: “Get out of here you two. You need to discuss this alone. We’ll cover for you.”

  I pile on. “I will tell your students Lance, you got plenty of time to say goodbye formally later.”

  They both look at us. Ramirez makes a shooing motion and adds: “Yeah. Get out of here. I’ll let Doc Morton know. He’ll understand.”

  They both thank us and stand up. They head for the door quietly, weaving their way through the crowded tables. We watch them go. Once they are out of sight Harkins says: “I remember the first time I had to leave my wife. Headed out on a WESTPAC for six months.” We all have similar stories to tell. The military life is often a hard one. But, while leaving your family behind is always awful, you learn to deal with it. It is as much a part of being a Marine, Soldier, Airman, or Sailor as uniforms and morning PT.

  Malloy looks over at me and says: “Speaking of which, congratulations, Sir, on getting to go home to your family.”

  I smile back and keep it light: “Esther’s boyfriend is in trouble now.”

  Everyone laughs then Harkins looks at me evenly and says: “Speaking from experience, good luck with that.”

  I laugh back good naturedly. After a moment I grow serious and say: “Well I’ve got to go get organized. In case I don’t get the chance later let me tell you now, that I am going to miss you guys. It has been a sincere pleasure working with all of you.” I look at Harkins and continue solemnly: “I know this is going to sound weird Stu, but I’m really glad you punched me in the face. I would’ve hated to have missed out on becoming your friend.”

  Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Harkins matches my expression and replies: “I’m glad too. It has been a pleasure, Shawn.” He reaches his hand out for me and I shake it. “Good luck my friend.”

  Ramirez holds his hand out next and says: “Yeah, good luck brother. God go with you.”

  Finally Malloy holds his hand out. As I shake it he says: “You made this place great, Sir. It won’t be the same around here with you gone.”

  I think over my time at Heavy Combat Systems. I remember all of the adventures, large and small, I had with these men. I remember our banter and bickering. I remember countless times when they had kept me going through good times and bad. I reply with feeling: “Anytime, anywhere, gentlemen. Just ask and I will be there.”

  The three of them nod solemnly in reply. I get up from the table. No need to prolong the goodbyes any longer. As a Marine I have changed jobs and bases so many times I have grown accustomed to goodbyes. They are still emotional, but you have done them so many times that you simply deal with them and move on. Besides, although the military is a big place, you never know. You just might end up working with them at some point in the future. So you carry that hope with you for the good friends you make along the way. And if you never see them again, well that is life, it just reminds you to cherish the times you have with your new friends along the way. With no further fanfare I turn and head for the chow hall doors. I have things to do.

  Lance and I step off the Marine Corps Lear Jet and into the sunshine of Southern California. Through the windows of the small passenger terminal at the military airfield on Camp Pendleton I see my family waiting for me. The happiness I feel at seeing them almost overwhelms me. There is nothing more beautiful in this world than reuniting with those you love. I rush around to grab my bags as the ground crew unloads them from the jet’s cargo bay. Lance picks up his bag next to me and says: “I see your family is waiting for you. I’m just gonna go around the terminal, give you guys some privacy.”

  “You don’t have to do that Lance,” I reply. “Liz and the kids won’t mind.”

  Lance chuckles and says: “Oh I know they like me well enough, but I bet they would rather do this without me getting in the way. It’s okay Shawn, I will call you later.” He glances over and sees Liz waiting expectantly in the terminal and amends: “Uh, I mean tomorrow.”

  “Thanks Lance, see you tomorr
ow.”

  I head for the door to the terminal at a fast walk. The excitement is building exponentially with every step. As I enter the terminal my family hurries towards me. I drop my bags and sweep them all up in my embrace. We hold each other for a moment. Liz is speechless. However, that has never been a problem for my daughter. Esther quips: “I’m so glad your home Dad, it’s way harder to get money from Mom than you.”

  We break our group hug and I look over at my fifteen-year-old daughter. She stands with absolute assurance. Not only is she slowly, but surely, growing in to a beautiful young woman, but she is holding down a perfect grade point average at school with a frightening lack of difficulty. Smart, pretty, and sarcastic? Great I am going to have to beat the boyfriends off with a stick. “I missed you too sweetheart,” I reply.

  Josh adds: “Glad you’re home, Dad.” He is eighteen now. Well on his way through his senior year. He is still filling out, but he stands eye to eye with me now. He too is doing well in school, nothing close to the four point oh of his sister, but throw in his ability on the soccer field and mix in a huge circle of friends, and you can see the confidence in him match his sister’s. With the nanites coursing through me we look more like brothers than father and son. That had not been much of a problem on my short vacations home. Well, other than the fact that he got annoyed when he could no longer wear me out when I helped him practice for his soccer matches. However, I am probably going to have to be very careful about how much we look alike over the next few weeks.