“And how many of us died?” he asked bitterly.
“Well, none, of course,” Sky said, confused by his reaction.
“We’ve got well north of 7,000 Marine KIA and another 3,000 from the rest of the human forces. The Klucks probably lost 2,000. All to take out 206 Grubs.”
“But not just that, Bill. The rest of the Dictymorphs, they left the planet.”
“A strategic victory, to be sure. Even a tactical one, if you don’t’ consider the butcher’s bill. A proof of concept, sure. But ‘we,’” he said, repeating her arm sweep, “didn’t kick anyone’s ass. We might have provided the tools, but we weren’t in danger. We didn’t risk our lives. We didn’t make the ultimate sacrifice.
“Sorry, Sky, but I just can’t celebrate the loss of 12,000 lives.”
He crushed the can of ale, then dropped it on the floor.
“You celebrate, if you want. I’m out of here.”
Sky stared after him, her mouth dropped open.
But this is a victory, right. I mean, we won, right.
She turned to look back at the celebrating crowd, and suddenly she wasn’t in the mood to join them. Bill was right. So many dead were not a cause for celebration.
Instead of joy, she now felt shame. More than that, though, she felt a compulsion to get back to work. Her job was to help find the vulnerabilities of the Dictymorphs so next time—and there would be a next time—so many young men and women wouldn’t have to die.
Chapter 32
Hondo
“Corporal Hondo McKeever, reporting as ordered, sir!”
“Stand at ease, Corporal,” Lieutenant Colonel Rainer said. “First time we’ve talked since the battle, right son?”
Uh . . . sir, we’ve never talked
“Yes, sir. First time since the fight.”
“I’ve been busy, you know. Lots of messages home,” he said, his voice fading a bit as his eyes drifted down to stare at his desktop.
Shit, you’ve got all those death messages back to the families, Hondo thought, feeling guilty for his flippant thought of a moment ago. He stood at a parade rest, not saying anything.
The battalion CO shook his head, looked back at to him, and then said, “I’ve discussed your performance during the battle with Lieutenant Copek and Staff Sergeant Aster.”
He nodded over Hondo’s shoulder where the company XO—commander, now, with Captain Montgomery killed in the fight—stood with the staff sergeant. Lieutenant Silas had also been KIA, and the staff sergeant was the acting platoon commander until a lieutenant came aboard to take over.
“I’ve also gone over the recordings. Pretty ballsy, there, Corporal, taking on a Grub in just your long johns.”
Hondo didn’t know how to respond to that, so he took the safest course of action and remained silent.
“I also discussed your action with Lieutenant Colonel Suarez,” he continued.
Hondo didn’t have a clue as to who this Suarez was, but he didn’t bother to ask.
“I happen to agree with her assessment. After you hit the Grub with your hook, its reading went haywire, and it started expending energy like crazy. You may not have killed the thing, but you fucked it up but good. And that allowed the rest of your fellow Marines to finish it off. All of this, I don’t have to add, basically naked. One touch of a light tendril and you would have been KIA.”
Hondo didn’t know what surprised him more, the fact that the colonel evidently thought he’d done something noteworthy leading to the kill, or that a senior officer used the word “fucked.”
“What you did, son, that was pretty amazing, not that I’d expect anything less from a Jaeger. You did the battalion proud.”
“Thank you, sir, but I didn’t do anything anyone else wouldn’t have done.”
“Maybe so, son, but the fact remains that you did it, not anyone else. Now, I’m not here to blow sunshine daffodils up your ass. Frankly, you did what I would have expected, and from what Staff Sergeant Aster tells me, what he or Lieutenant Silas would have expected. Still, expected or not, your actions were noteworthy, and I called you in here to tell you you’re being recommended for the Navy Cross.”
Hondo felt as if he’d been kicked in the stomach by a mule.
A Navy Cross?
“You can close your mouth, son. Don’t want the bugs to fly in now, right?” the CO said coming around the desk to shake his hand.
Hondo snapped his mouth shut, taking the colonel’s hand.
A Navy Cross?
He didn’t know what to say.
“Now, it has to be approved by the First Ministry, but all our awards are being fast-tracked, so we should know soon. Congratulations, son. I’m proud of you.
“Now, go stand beside Staff Sergeant Aster for a moment. I want you here for this.
“Sergeant Mbangwa, please call in PFC Xeras.”
The staff sergeant shook Hondo’s hand as he took his place beside him. He stood at attention as a nervous-looking Xeras stepped inside and reported to the CO. Hondo was still in shock and barely listened as the colonel greeted Xeras. It wasn’t until he heard the colonel say “instrumental in the deaths of two Grubs” that he was jerked back into the here and now.
What’s this about two Grubs?
Hondo had debriefed Xeras and BK, and he knew the PFC had been in the thick of the fighting, being part of two attacks on Grubs, but “instrumental?” What had he missed? She hadn’t said she’d done anything extraordinary.
“. . . one of only 13 flamethrower Marines to survive the fight, you know.”
“Yes, sir, I heard that.”
“The Grubs were targeting all of you, and for a reason. You were killing them. But, I’ve got to ask you, the first one, you had a stand-off range of 100 meters. Why did you charge it so close?”
“Well, sir, I saw that it took our Corporal McKeever, and that pissed me off royally. He’s my team leader, and that piece of white puke wasn’t going to get away with that. So, I don’t know. I just kinda lost it, sir, and I got in tight and flamed it but good.”
“Well, that you did, PFC. And the second?”
“I kinda got separated from my unit, sir, and I thought everyone in my squad was dead. So, when the Klucks . . . I mean Klethos, sir, no disrespect, when they came running in all crazy like, I just followed them. They swarmed a Grub, and when it was all distracted, I just ran up and fired its asshole. I mean, I think it was its asshole. I mean, sir, I was pissed, and I had to do something.”
“Remind me not to get you pissed at me, Marine.”
“Oh, never sir!” she said, her voice in a panic.
The colonel laughed, then said, “I’m not worried, about that. And that’s not why I had the sergeant major call you in. Your actions have drawn notice, significant notice. The UAM has released a recording of what you did, and the public reaction is significant.”
“Really, sir? They can see it back on Emerson?”
“Yes, of course on Emerson.”
“Wicked copacetic,” she said more to herself.
“There’s something else, though. The UAM command has recommended you for a Gold Starburst.”
That floored Hondo. The Gold Starburst was the UAM equivalent to the Federation Nova. Marines were rarely in a position to earn a UAM medal for valor, but even so, it was rare for a Marine, especially an enlisted Marine, to be awarded one.
“What’s a Gold Starburst, sir?”
“What’s that? ‘That’ is a pretty amazing accomplishment for a Marine. You can ask Lieutenant Copek after you’re dismissed, and he can bring you up to speed.”
Hondo thought the colonel was more amused than anything else that Xeras had no idea what the award signified.”
“Nothing is assured, and with the UAM, the military command is rarely in synch with the civilian leadership. You being Federation could impact that as well.”
“I’m sorry, sir, I’m confused.”
The colonel laughed and said, “Don’t worry about it, Lance Corpo
ral. Whatever happens, happens.”
“Uh . . . begging the colonel’s pardon, sir, but I’m a PFC, not a lance corporal.”
“Are you calling me a liar? Your commanding officer?” he asked with faux bluster.
Hondo thought Xeras was going to piss in her panties. She’d faced down not one, but two Grubs, and now she was terrified. She started to stammer out an apology when the CO held out a hand to stop her.
“I have the authority to offer field promotions up to corporal, and I think you rate one of those promotions. As of today, you are now a lance corporal. I’ve got the crossed rifles here, if you want to get it done now. Or you can get it done in front of the battalion during formation on Friday. Your choice.”
“The whole battalion, sir?” she asked in barely a squeak.
Hondo almost laughed. Once again, she faced down two Grubs because she was “pissed,” and now she was afraid of getting up before the battalion?
“Uh, now would be good sir. If the sir doesn’t mind, sir.”
“Now it is, then. Sergeant Major, if you would read the warrant?” he said as he took his place in front of her.
“Attention to orders!”
To all who shall see these presents, greeting:
Know Ye, that reposing special trust and confidence in the fidelity and abilities of Fiona L. Xeras, I do appoint her a Lance Corporal in the United Federation Marine Corps to rank as such from the twelfth day of April, in the year four hundred and thirty-three.
This appointee will therefore carefully and diligently discharge the duties of the grade to which appointed by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto pertaining. And I do strictly charge and require all personnel of lesser grade to render obedience to appropriate orders. And this appointee is to observe and follow such orders and directions as may be given from time to time by superiors acting according to the rules and articles governing the discipline of the military forces of the United Federation of States.
Given under my hand at United Assembly of Man Task Force Headquarter, Purgamentium, on this twelfth day of April, four hundred and thirty-three.
Tan Ranier
Lieutenant Colonel
Commanding
The colonel took off both of Xeras’ PFC chevrons, then pinned the lance corporal insignia on her right collar.
“Congratulations, Lance Corporal. And should I ask Staff Sergeant Aster to put on the other?
“Begging the sir’s pardon, but could I have Corporal McKeever pin it on? If that’s OK?”
“Of course, it’s OK. It’s your choice, and Corporal McKeever is an excellent one.
“Corporal?” he asked, holding out the other chevron.
Hondo was surprised. He’d ridden Xeras hard, and as the next junior Marine in the CO’s office, he hadn’t expected her to want him to do the honors. He marched forward, executed two left turns, and stopped in front of her. Taking the chevron from the colonel, he slowly and deliberately pinned it on her collar.
“Congratulations, Lance Corporal Xeras. I’m proud of you.”
And he was. Even with her nomination for the Gold Starburst, even with his own nomination for the Navy Cross, simply being asked to pin on her new insignia filled him with pride and a sense of honor. Medals were one thing, awarded for actions past. No matter how rare that was, and no matter how many times Marines were promoted, the two didn’t compare. Xeras had a choice in this, and that fact that she chose him humbled him.
For the first time since being promoted to corporal, he began to have an inkling of what it meant to be a leader of Marines.
Chapter 33
Skylar
“I still think they just bugged out,” Hastert said.
“’Grubbed’ out, you mean,” Aurora added.
After three days of getting nowhere, Sky didn’t have the energy to laugh. The working group had been tasked with determining why the thousands of Dictymorphs on K-3363 had “Grubbed out” en masse. The human-Kethos force had defeated the local Dictymorph force, but it had taken too many casualties. It could not have survived an all-out attack by even a portion of the rest of them. The task force command had contingency plans in place to extract the force if—and when, most people assumed—the Dictymorphs turned their attention to them, but even before the last one fell in the battle, the rest of them had started to leave the planet.
The burning question was why.
On the more optimistic side, suggested by L’Teesha, the Dictymorphs had their nose bloodied, possibly for the first time, and had left the Klethos corner of the galaxy for easier pickings. On the more pessimistic side, also suggested by L’Teehsa, was that they left as a feint and were now marshaling forces for an all-out attack throughout Klethos space.
Sky was torn between the two extremes, but the scientist in her had to acknowledge that was only a gut feeling based on no hard evidence. She was not above working from conjecture—her dissertation, after all, was largely based on conjecture, her take on the available data. This time, with the Dictymorphs, she had nothing, and she was hesitant to forward up an official opinion, an opinion that would probably help map out the human-Klethos way forward.
“Might I remind you that all we know is that they did leave the planet—”
“Unless they’re staging just out of our scanner range waiting to return,” Lars interrupted her.
“Like I said,” Sky continued, “all we know is that they left the planet’s surface. We don’t know why. Yes, they could be sitting somewhere ready to pounce back onto the planet now that we’ve left, but we don’t know that. And that’s why we’ve been here for three days, to try and come to a consensus as to the why, not the what.”
“Come on, Sky. You don’t need to lecture us. We know why we’re here,” Gentle said.
Yes, I do need to “lecture” you; otherwise, nothing is going to get done.
“I’m not lecturing anyone. I’m just thinking aloud, trying to make sense of this. From what I’ve jotted down here, we’ve got no less than 14 potential explanations. It would help me get my head around all of this is we can narrow this down to maybe the three most likely reasons. Then, we can focus on those and see what we come up with. Gentle, what do you think are the most likely reasons?”
This is so transparent, she thought to herself. Professing ignorance to move this along. They’re going to see right through me.
But they didn’t.
Gentle sighed, then said, “Yes, it can be confusing, so let me simplify the basic points of the four or five I think are most likely. First, Knight could be basically correct. The Dictymorphs . . .”
I wanted just three, but I can deal with five, she thought as she gazed with what she hoped looked like rapt attention to her fellow xenobiologist.
Chapter 34
Hondo
“Happy Patron’s Day,” Sergeant Mbangwa said to the table, shaking everyone’s hand.
“You, too, Sergeant. Jaegers rule!” Hondo said.
“Yep, Jaegers rule. Next Patron’s Day celebration will be back on Alexander,” he said.
A chorus of ooh-rahs broke out from the rest of the Marines.
“And hey, Soldier, I wanted to tell you I’m sorry about your Navy Cross. The first sergeant told me this afternoon.”
“Ain’t no thing, Sergeant. I’m not a Marine for some medal to put on my chest. I’m here for my fellow Marines,” he said, sweeping an arm to indicate the rest of his tablemates.
“Fucking-A right,” BK said.
What he said wasn’t really true. Not the part about being there for his fellow Marines, but that it wasn’t “no thing.” He hadn’t expected to be put in for the award in the first place, but once the CO had told him, the idea grew on him. Then today, only an hour before the celebration had begun, he’d been told his Navy Cross had been downgraded to a Silver Star. Which was still no shabby award, but he’d already begun to accept the idea of a Navy Cross. And to be honest, he was a bit pissed about the entire thing.
Not
that he’d admit that to anyone else. Marines just didn’t do that. He’d once read a quote from the old Earth general, Napoleon, about men doing anything for a bit of colored ribbon to put on their chest. It might be true in today’s Corps as well, probably was true, in fact, but no one could admit it.
“Still, I think it sucks hind tit. But I’m just a mere sergeant, so what the hell do I know.”
Sergeant Mbangwa moved on to the next table. Hondo was grateful for his words, though. It didn’t cost the squad leader anything to say them, but they had an effect. That was the “leader” in squad leader being exhibited. He filed that away in his personal “how to be a leader of Marines” corner of his brain housing group.
“Do we have an exact date yet?” Fiona asked.
“No exact date, but I’m guessing about the 17th. Most of IV MEF is here already. We’re up to swap out our PICS tomorrow morning, and then with about a three-week turnover, I’d say we start the redeployment about then,” Paul Yetter said.
“We’re first out, us and Two-Fourteen,” Dixie added.
Hondo caught the look BK gave her friend, Gabriella Stanton, a lance corporal from First Tanks, who she’d invited to the battalion’s Patron Day celebration. First Tanks was not redeploying yet, so the budding romance between the two was about to be cut off. BK had told Hondo it didn’t matter, that she was just “having fun,” but Hondo didn’t believe that for one moment. His friend was smitten, pure and simple.
But that was life in the Corps. Relationships were difficult to maintain, especially for junior Marines. Even if married, a Marine had to be a sergeant before he or she would rate the extra pay and base housing.
BK might be disappointed, but Hondo was going to be happy to get off this rock and back to civilization. Alexander might not be his home planet, but it sure beat Purgamentium.
“The first thing I’m going to get is a big deluxe pizza a Fritos,” Fiona said.
Alliance (The United Federation Marine Corps' Grub Wars Book 1) Page 17
