by M. D. Cooper
“Huge one, Gunny. Mind if I stop and take it out? Maybe I could order a pizza, too. You want a slice?”
The gunnery sergeant stepped out onto the forest track and ran alongside the private. “Boy, if you don’t get to the front of the pack by the beginning of the next lap, I’m gonna make you do the next one barefoot.”
Perez’s cocksure look was unmarred as he gave a laugh and began to pick up the pace. “I’d do anything for you, Gunny. You’re my hero.”
Williams sputtered, unable to come up with a response, finally slowing down and falling back to the side of the track.
“You’re never going to live that down.”
Turning, he saw Commander Lauren walking toward him, a wry grin on her lips.
“Should I be trying?” he asked. “I mean…they’re giving me a medal, the fucking Constellation of all things.”
She stopped at his side, and he cocked an eyebrow, waiting for her response.
“OK, maybe that wasn’t the best choice of words. Either way, you’re going to hear about it for a long time. Saving Venus is sort of a big deal.”
“Technically, Division 99 saved Venus. I just lent a hand.”
The commander raised her own hand, ticking her index finger side to side. “The MICIs were never there. You know how that goes.”
“Yeah.” Williams nodded. “But no one believes that I single-handedly took out Admiral Urdon and stopped their plot. I may be a badass, but I’m not that much of a badass.”
“I believe you are!” Sergeant Vonda called out as she ran by. “You’re the ultimate badass.”
“Uhhh…sure,” Williams muttered.
“Too bad she’s off limits now,” Lauren said, a knowing look in her eyes.
“Yeah,” the gunnery sergeant gave a distracted nod. “Corps isn’t here to be my matchmaker, though.”
“True that,” the commander said. She clasped a hand on his shoulder and walked back the way she’d come.
Williams’ eyes remained fixed on Sergeant Vonda until she disappeared around a bend in the track.
His mind, however, was on another woman. A Disker who was willing to sacrifice her life for the greater good.
The image of her standing in the uplink tower’s control room, arms spread, ready for Agent Jones to shoot her…. The Marine knew it would be etched in his mind forever.
He knew strength; he’d seen hundreds of Marines and civilians defy the odds, pull off amazing acts of heroism. But the willingness to die for the other side…. It made Williams wonder if her cause was more just than his.
Then again, that fuckface, Urdon, was the one who started all this.
For the first time, he felt thoroughly disillusioned with the state of Sol, tired of the politics, the endless fighting, humanity clawing at itself forever.
He thought of the GSS Intrepid, which at this point was entering the inner Oort Cloud, on its way to start a civilization far from humanity’s home star.
Maybe I should have taken a berth….
But his thoughts turned back to Katelyn Evans and the sacrifice she’d been prepared to make. He’d searched for her afterward, looked through databases of prisoners, wounded, the dead. She was gone.
Not that it surprised him at all. That strange AI, Harm, had whisked her away in the chaos surrounding the Veef and Disker surrender. Williams had even made inquiries with Division 99 to find the MICI agent—all of which had gone nowhere. No one knew who Harm Ellis was.
He fervently hoped that Katelyn Evans and her sister hadn’t ended up in some MICI black site. That wasn’t the way to repay Joe.
The gunnery sergeant heaved a sigh and turned to walk back to the path that led back to the base. His eyes caught a strange shimmer next to the track, and a moment later, the last person he expected to see appeared.
“You…” Williams whispered.
The AI…or man—there was nothing to suggest the person standing before Williams wasn’t entirely organic—nodded.
“I tend to be me, yes. Except when I’m not.”
Williams crossed his arms, shifting his stance. “What are you doing here?”
“Easy, Gunnery Sergeant. I’m not angling for a fight. I just want to talk.”
“About what?” Williams asked.
“Well, for starters, you need to stop searching for the Evans sisters. You’re putting their lives in danger.”
“That’s not going to cut it for me.”
The other man shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. It’s not about you. Well, at least that’s not.” He gestured to a seldom-used sidetrack leading through the trees. “Come, we have much to discuss.”
Williams drew in a deep breath. He knew there wasn’t a choice in the matter for him.
“Fine. I’ll let you say your piece.”
The two figures turned down the track, disappearing into the foliage, voices low and indistinct as Williams’ life shifted onto a track he’d never have expected.
Until next time…
* * * * *
Pick up Assault on Sedna and follow the continuing adventures of Katelyn, Williams, and the 242nd Marines.
Also, if you’ve not read Destiny Rising (which contains the battle at Makemake mentioned in this book) you can pick it up and learn about a prior mission Williams and his Marines have gone on.
More is coming in The Sol Dissolution series, and joining my mailing list, or the Facebook Fan Group will keep you in the know.
AFTERWORD
We hope you enjoyed getting to know Katelyn and Williams a bit better. I know I sure did!
Writing Venusian Uprising was both great fun and a departure from the norm for me. I’d never embarked upon a project where the story was told from two different points of view, from two different authors, at the same time. In a way, it was like being embedded in a months-long treasure hunt.
Each time Mal finished a chapter, I’d get to see what Williams and Bravo Company had done. Then it was Katelyn’s turn. I’d nudge her, point at Williams, and say, “Okay, so what are you going to do about Sergeant Asshat now?”
There’s tons more to come, and you know us—it’s pretty much guaranteed to have some interesting twists and unexpected surprises along the way.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you join us again for more of Williams and Katelyn, in Assault on Sedna!
Lisa Richman
Leawood, 2019
THE CAST
Scattered Worlds Space Force & Venusians
SWSF Admiral: Urdon
SSID Agent/Urdon’s bodyguard: Moira
SWSF AI undercover agent: Aaron
Hjarta HQ CO: Commander Jakobsen
Hjarta Intelligence Tech AI: Wren
Hjarta Army Recon soldier: Chief Warrant Clarke
Katelyn Evans: Joe Evans’ sister, twin to Rory
Division 99/MICIs
Director Harm Ellis
Agent Janiss Jones
Agent Smith
242nd Marine Regiment
Regiment XO: Lieutenant Colonel Ender
8th Battalion
Battalion AI: Bruno
Battalion Air Wing Close Air Combat Support Pilot: Lieutenant “Mars” Marsala
Bravo Company
Company Commander: Commander Lauren
First Sergeant: Bourne
Gunnery Sergeant: Williams
1st Platoon
Platoon Commander: Lieutenant Berger
Platoon Sergeant: Staff Sergeant Onada
Squad 1
Squad leader – Sergeant Vonda
Fireteam 1 (one/one)
Team – Corporal Charles
Ready – Private Huck
4th Platoon
Platoon Commander: Lieutenant Grenwald
Platoon Sergeant: Staff Sergeant Green
Squad 1
Squad leader – Sergeant Kowalski
Fireteam 1 (one/one)
Ready – PFC Cheng
Team – Lance Corporal Jansen
Fire – PFC Cassar
> Assist – PFC Murphy
Fireteam 2 (one/two)
Ready – PFC Weber
Team – Corporal Taylor
Fire – PFC Perez
Assist – PFC Koller
Tech – Lance Corporal Dvorak
Fireteam 3 (one/three)
Ready – PFC Jacobs
Team – Lance Corporal Becker
Fire – PFC Martins
Assist – PFC Larsen
Squad 2 (weapons squad)
Squad leader – Sergeant Salas
Fireteam 1 (two/one)
Ready – PFC Arsen
Team – Corporal Beck
Fire – PFC Altair
Assist – PFC Reddy
Fireteam 2 (two/two)
Ready – PFC Meyer
Team – Lance Corporal Olsen
Fire – PFC Gruber (Heavy Weapons)
Assist – PFC Araya
Fireteam 3 (two/three)
Ready – PFC Popov
Team – Lance Corporal Chang
Fire – PFC Varga (Heavy Weapons)
Assist – PFC Walker
Squad 3
Squad leader – Sergeant Li
Fireteam 1 (three/one)
Ready – PFC Kwon
Team – Lance Corporal Mishra
Fire – PFC Pham
Assist – PFC Santos
Fireteam 2 (three/two)
Ready – PFC Berg
Team – Corporal Endo
Fire – PFC Romano
Assist – PFC Slater
Fireteam 3 (three/three)
Ready – PFC Jones
Team – Corporal Tanaka
Fire – PFC Reed
Assist – PFC Dias
THE BOOKS OF AEON 14
Keep up to date with what is releasing in Aeon 14 with the free Aeon 14 Reading Guide.
The Sentience Wars: Origins (Age of the Sentience Wars – w/James S. Aaron)
- Books 1-3 Omnibus: Lyssa’s Rise
- Books 4-5 Omnibus (incl. Vesta Burning): Lyssa’s Fire
- Book 0 Prequel: The Proteus Bridge (Full length novel)
- Book 1: Lyssa’s Dream
- Book 2: Lyssa’s Run
- Book 3: Lyssa’s Flight
- Book 4: Lyssa’s Call
- Book 5: Lyssa’s Flame
The Sentience Wars: Solar War 1 (Age of the Sentience Wars – w/James S. Aaron)
- Book 0 Prequel: Vesta Burning (Full length novel)
- Book 1: Eve of Destruction
- Book 2: The Spreading Fire
- Book 3: A Fire Upon the Worlds (2020)
Enfield Genesis (Age of the Sentience Wars – w/Lisa Richman)
- Book 1: Alpha Centauri
- Book 2: Proxima Centauri
- Book 3: Tau Ceti
- Book 4: Epsilon Eridani
- Book 5: Sirius
Origins of Destiny (The Age of Terra)
- Prequel: Storming the Norse Wind
- Prequel: Angel’s Rise: The Huntress (available on Patreon)
- Book 1: Tanis Richards: Shore Leave
- Book 2: Tanis Richards: Masquerade
- Book 3: Tanis Richards: Blackest Night
- Book 4: Tanis Richards: Kill Shot
The Intrepid Saga (The Age of Terra)
- Book 1: Outsystem
- Book 2: A Path in the Darkness
- Book 3: Building Victoria
- The Intrepid Saga Omnibus – Also contains Destiny Lost, book 1 of the Orion War series
- Destiny Rising – Special Author’s Extended Edition comprised of both Outsystem and A Path in the Darkness with over 100 pages of new content.
The Sol Dissolution (The Age of Terra)
- Book 1: Venusian Uprising
- Book 2: Assault on Sedna (2020)
- Book 3: Hyperion War (2020)
- Book 4: Fall of Terra (2020)
The Warlord (Before the Age of the Orion War)
- Books 1-3 Omnibus: The Warlord of Midditerra
- Book 1: The Woman Without a World
- Book 2: The Woman Who Seized an Empire
- Book 3: The Woman Who Lost Everything
The Orion War
- Books 1-3 Omnibus (includes Ignite the Stars anthology)
- Book 0 Prequel: To Fly Sabrina
- Book 1: Destiny Lost
- Book 2: New Canaan
- Book 3: Orion Rising
- Book 4: The Scipio Alliance
- Book 5: Attack on Thebes
- Book 6: War on a Thousand Fronts
- Book 7: Precipice of Darkness
- Book 8: Airtha Ascendancy
- Book 9: The Orion Front
- Book 10: Starfire
- Book 11: Race Across Spacetime (2019)
- Book 12: Return to Sol (2019)
Non-Aeon 14 Anthologies containing Rika stories
- Bob’s Bar Volume 1
Building New Canaan (Age of the Orion War – w/J.J. Green)
- Book 1: Carthage
- Book 2: Tyre
- Book 3: Troy
- Book 4: Athens
Tales of the Orion War
- Book 1: Set the Galaxy on Fire
- Book 2: Ignite the Stars
Multi-Author Collections
- Volume 1: Repercussions
Perilous Alliance (Age of the Orion War – w/Chris J. Pike)
- Book 1-3 Omnibus: Crisis in Silstrand
- Book 0 Prequel: Escape Velocity
- Book 1: Close Proximity
- Book 2: Strike Vector
- Book 3: Collision Course
- Book 3.5: Decisive Action
- Book 4: Impact Imminent
- Book 5: Critical Inertia
- Book 6: Impulse Shock
- Book 7: Terminal Velocity
The Delta Team (Age of the Orion War)
- Book 1: The Eden Job
- Book 2: The Disknee World (2019)
- Book 3: Rogue Planets (2020)
Rika’s Marauders (Age of the Orion War)
- Book 1-3 Omnibus: Rika Activated
- Prequel: Rika Mechanized
- Book 1: Rika Outcast
- Book 2: Rika Redeemed
- Book 3: Rika Triumphant
- Book 4: Rika Commander
- Book 5: Rika Infiltrator
- Book 6: Rika Unleashed
- Book 7: Rika Conqueror
Non-Aeon 14 Anthologies containing Rika stories
- Bob’s Bar Volume 2
The Genevian Queen (Age of the Orion War)
- Book 1: Rika Rising
- Book 2: Rika Coronated
- Book 3: Rika Destroyer (2020)
Perseus Gate (Age of the Orion War)
Season 1: Orion Space
- Episode 1: The Gate at the Grey Wolf Star
- Episode 2: The World at the Edge of Space
- Episode 3: The Dance on the Moons of Serenity
- Episode 4: The Last Bastion of Star City
- Episode 5: The Toll Road Between the Stars
- Episode 6: The Final Stroll on Perseus’s Arm
- Eps 1-3 Omnibus: The Trail Through the Stars
- Eps 4-6 Omnibus: The Path Amongst the Clouds
Season 2: Inner Stars
- Episode 1: A Meeting of Bodies and Minds
- Episode 2: A Deception and a Promise Kept
- Episode 3: A Surreptitious Rescue of Friends and Foes
- Episode 3.5: Anomaly on Cerka (w/Andrew Dobell)
- Episode 4: A Victory and a Crushing Defeat
- Episode 5: A Trial and the Tribulations (2019)
- Episode 6: A Deal and a True Story Told (2019)
- Episode 7: A New Empire and An Old Ally (2019)
- Eps 1-3 Omnibus: A Siege and a Salvation from Enemies
Hand’s Assassin (Age of the Orion War – w/T.G. Ayer)
- Book 1: Death Dealer
- Book 2: Death Mark (2019)
Machete System Bounty Hunter (Age of the Orion War – w/Zen
DiPietro)
- Book 1: Hired Gun
- Book 2: Gunning for Trouble
- Book 3: With Guns Blazing
Fennington Station Murder Mysteries (Age of the Orion War)
- Book 1: Whole Latte Death (w/Chris J. Pike)
- Book 2: Cocoa Crush (w/Chris J. Pike)
The Empire (Age of the Orion War)
- Book 1: The Empress and the Ambassador
- Book 2: Consort of the Scorpion Empress (2019)
- Book 3: By the Empress’s Command (2019)
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Lisa Richman lives in the great Midwest, with three cats, a physicist, and a Piper Cherokee. She met the physicist when she went back to get her master's in physics (she ended up marrying the physicist instead).
When she's not writing, her day job takes her behind the camera as a director/producer.
If she's not at her keyboard or on set, she can be found cruising at altitude. Or helping out the physics guy with his linear accelerator. Or feeding the cats. Or devouring the next SF book she finds.
* * * * *
Malorie Cooper likes to think of herself as a dreamer and a wanderer, yet her feet are firmly grounded in reality.
A ‘maker’ from an early age, Malorie loves to craft things, from furniture, to cosplay costumes, to a well-spun tale, she can’t help but to create new things every day.
A rare extrovert writer, she loves to hang out with readers and people in general. If you meet her at a convention, she just might be rocking a catsuit, cosplaying one of her own characters, or maybe her latest favorite from Overwatch!