by Terry Mixon
The last sentence was optional, but she said it anyway. She hadn’t made up her mind about a higher being, but she wasn’t declining any help at this point.
When the recruits finished taking the oath, the major stepped back from the lectern and gestured toward Earl Still Water.
The rotund man rose and stepped over to the lectern to gaze out at the recruits. Then his eyes settled on Andrea and stayed there.
“One of the young marines present today is a refugee from the Singularity. Unlike many who have come before her, she desired to serve the Empire as an Imperial Marine. The problem with that is that Imperial law dictates that genetically engineered beings aren’t human in a legal sense.
“Emperor Marcus made an agreement that if she could complete her training as an Imperial Marine, he would grant her a permanent exemption from that law by Imperial Edict. She has done so with distinction, and it is now my privilege to be the voice of my liege in this matter.
“Andrea Tolliver, step forward and be recognized.”
She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry, stepped forward three steps, and came to full attention. In front of her, the drill instructors turned on their heels and marched to the sides before wheeling to face her.
Earl Still Water looked down on her, his gaze profoundly heavier than it had been a moment before. It was as if the emperor himself was looking at her through his vassal’s eyes. With implant recordings, that would undoubtedly be true at some point.
“In the name of Emperor Marcus and with the concurrence of the Imperial Senate, I hereby declare that an Imperial exemption is hereby granted to Andrea Tolliver. From this day forward, in all matters public and private, she is recognized as fully human by the Terran Empire.
“As an Imperial Marine, I don’t envy the duty you’ve chosen, but it is my signal honor and privilege to welcome you to the Terran Empire as its newest citizen. Let all who consider crossing you over your genetic heritage be wary of the enemies they make, because the emperor has spoken.”
As one, all the marines on the field sounded off. “Oorah!”
With a nod, the earl stepped back, and the crowd in the stands went wild with applause.
Andrea almost fainted with relief. Her long fight for recognition was over, and now she could begin living the life that she’d dreamed of for so long.
Major Martelle stepped back up to the lectern. “Drill instructors, release the marines under your care for the final time. I believe many of them have family waiting to congratulate them.”
Senior Sergeant Page marched back in front of the platoon and faced them. “Marines, you have your unit assignments and will attend further training before you get there, but on behalf of myself and my staff, I want to congratulate you on your accomplishments. Your achievements make me proud. Your success is a tribute to our beloved Corps.
“You are hereby dismissed. For those of you with family, I know that they’re waiting for you. For those who have no one here, we’ve set up a small celebration at the mess hall, and we’d be honored if you’d attend. Dismissed.”
Andrea expected to see Diana head for her father, but instead, she stepped over next to her and raised an eyebrow. “Did any of your family come to see you graduate? I want to meet them.”
“Shouldn’t you be going to chew out your father?”
“I’m making a point. Besides, I think that I like your parents better than I like him right now.”
Andrea chuckled. “Sure. Let’s go see them.”
As they began walking toward her guardians, Andrea glanced at her friend. “Do you think it’s weird that Claudio, you, and I are all assigned to the same unit? That seems kind of blatant, doesn’t it?”
Diana shrugged. “Blatant or not, I’m happy with it. Not for being assigned with Claudio, though he’s been less of an ass since the attack. He’s sort of growing on me. As JR would’ve said, like a fungus.”
That made Andrea hug her friend tightly against her and speed up. “Come on. I can’t wait for you to meet my family. You’ll love them.”
Fei stood between Grace and Kayden and watched her girl graduate. Somehow, she’d managed to keep Andrea ignorant of her presence while still keeping her alive. It was a damned miracle.
Grace and Kayden had arrived a couple of days ago, and their reunion had been epic. She’d missed them so badly. She couldn’t wait to get home again and resume her life with them. She’d loved the marines, but that part of her life was done.
Really done, once and for all. Finished. Over. She would never regret leaving the service again.
The four of them would spend the next couple of weeks celebrating Andrea’s success. Then she’d see her girl off for her advanced training and permanent assignment. Unlike the last time, this time she really was sending her girl off to begin life on her own.
She’d miss her, but she was so proud of her.
Grace ran forward and grabbed Andrea into a hug, lifting her off the ground and spinning her in a circle. Her feet barely missed Private Randall, who jumped back with a grin.
“You did it!” Grace crowed. “We’re so proud of you!”
Normally, Fei was too reserved for such public displays of affection but not this time. She pulled Kayden up with her, and they wrapped the other two in their arms.
That made her juggle the box she held to make sure that it didn’t fall. It contained Andrea’s graduation presents: the stunner that had saved her life and the matching flechette pistol that Still Water had given Fei. Together they would help keep her girl safe going forward.
Though both weapons were highly illegal thanks to their undetectable nature, Still Water had produced Imperial licenses for each and an Imperial dispensation allowing Andrea to retain and carry them, even on active duty.
That wouldn’t make her new superiors very happy, but there was nothing they could do when the emperor was doing the talking through his vassal.
She’d give them to Andrea later in private, but she didn’t trust leaving them just lying around while they were out. That was just begging for trouble.
Once all the hugging was done, Andrea introduced them to her friend, and at Grace’s invitation, they all headed off to get dinner in the city. It was time to celebrate and put the troubles of the past behind them.
Tomorrow’s troubles would just have to wait for another day.
Andrea Seven Seventy-Six stood in the largest room of the crèche. The sixty-five young women who stood in front of her were the ones that had survived her strict training regimen and would today be released to the Andrea Line. Her time as Keeper was over.
A few of the graduates deserved special note, including Andrea Thirty-One, who had proven to be one of the most ruthless and dedicated graduates that it had ever been her honor to train. That girl would go far, and she looked forward to advancing her education and position even further in the years to come.
After all, a woman had to look toward her own retirement, didn’t she?
When the ceremony was complete, and other members of the Andrea Line had escorted their new sisters off to introduce them to life outside the crèche, she found a younger sister of the Line waiting for her just outside her office.
“What is it?” she asked, her tone irritated. She had other work to do.
“Forgive me, Keeper, but a message has just arrived from Line leadership. They wish you to see something from an intelligence briefing at once.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know, Keeper. It’s locked for your eyes only.”
“Give it to me.”
The girl proffered a tablet toward her.
Annoyed, she took the tablet and authenticated herself, unlocking the message. A video was already cued up and began playing. It showed a disgustingly diverse array of base caste men and women dressed in Imperial uniforms that she recognized as belonging to one of their branches of service. The Imperial Marines, she believed.
She started to wonder what this had to do with her, but then he
r eyes locked on one of the figures, and she froze. The girl had the genetics and tattoos of the Andrea Line.
That was impossible.
Andrea Seven Seventy-Six stared at the video without speaking or moving as her brain raced. It had to be One Twenty-Four. She’d assumed that the girl had died when the station they’d been on was destroyed, but that had obviously been an error on her part.
It seemed that her time managing the crèche wasn’t quite done yet. There was still one problem left to be corrected. It wouldn’t be easy, but issues that required personal attention from the Andrea Line rarely were.
Her time as Keeper wasn’t over until she corrected this lapse.
“Prepare my ship,” she ordered grimly. “I leave at once.”
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Also by Terry Mixon
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The Empire of Bones Saga
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Veil of Shadows
Command Decisions
Ghosts of Empire
Paying the Price
Recon in Force
Behind Enemy Lines
The Terra Gambit
Hidden Enemies
Race to Terra
Ruined Terra
Victory on Terra
When Luck Runs Out
The Imperial Marines Saga
Spoils of War
Imperial Recruit
The Humanity Unlimited Saga
Liberty Station
Freedom Express
Tree of Liberty
Blood of Patriots
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Scorched Earth
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The Vigilante Series with Glynn Stewart
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Bound By Law
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About Terry
#1 Bestselling Military Science Fiction author Terry Mixon served as a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army 101st Airborne Division. He later worked alongside the flight controllers in the Mission Control Center at the NASA Johnson Space Center supporting the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, and other human spaceflight projects.
He now writes full time while living in Texas with his lovely wife and a pounce of cats.
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