"Commander Collins Sir, I will take second watch. I will protect our fallen so we never forget." Then returned to port arms.
Marks mouth dropped in shock as he returned the salute and noticed that the marines were staggered down each side of the support rails. Mark took a few more steps down the center between the lines of marines. The second marine in line snapped to attention as Mark stopped walking again in surprise and said. Commandeer Collins Sir. I will take third watch. I will protect our fallen so we never forget."
Mark still in shock continued to slowly walk down the lock. As he passed each marine, they came to attention and said the same thing. “Commander. I will take the, (saying the next number in line) watch. I will protect the fallen so we never forget." Still baffled, he continued walking down the lock between the marines returning each salute as he looked for an officer among them to talk to. Not knowing if they had been ordered to do this or not as they continued to repeat the phrase. As he reached the end, the last marine in line said.
"Commander. I will take the hundred and first watch. I will protect our fallen so we never forget." And returned to port arms.
Mark stopped for a few seconds still shocked as the line of marines did not move. Turning around again still looking for an officer, he starred at them bewildered. Feeling like a fool not knowing what to say but knowing that he had to say something after all the work the troops had gone through. Even if he did not understand it. Chuckling to himself for a second though he was too tired to smile as pride started welling up inside him. Mark saluted and said. "Please no…. Ah. No one aboard this ship will ever forget if I, aa we have any say in it. But aaa, thank you marines.” Raising his hand in one more salute as he fished for some way to end it, the phrase he had been hearing for the last quarter hour beating his mind to death, he said. “So they never forget. Dismissed."
A hundred marines came to attention as one. Saluted and said. "So they never forget." Turned as one and proceeded to march down past both sides of Mark before merging into on line and out the hatch. Saluting him as each passed yet again. The Sargent he had first talked to remained at the far end and as the procession left. He started a slow marching walk down the center of the lock. Taking a step every couple of seconds starring stone faced ahead.
Mark watched him slowly march toward him with his weapon still at port arms for several minutes baffled. Mark finally walked halfway down the lock and stepped up to the Marine stopping in front of him forcing him to stop. “Enough Sargent. You are dismissed.”
Without moving his eyes the Sargent said. “I have the Second Watch Commander. So they never forget.”
“Mark.” Mickey said. “With a hundred marines divided into 4 hour shifts, each marine will only have a couple watches a month. Their vigil is doable.” Mickey said in his ears.
Being too tired to argue or even think that much after little sleep the night before, a trip to orbit and flying a wrecked fighter for hours, as well as everything else that had happened including a body that was still recovering from being poisoned twice, Mark turned and walked back toward the inside personnel hatch as the slow rhythmic clomp of a pair of armored boots echoed down the empty lock. Though he knew for certain that whatever was happening meant trouble for him He would sweat the details in the morning after he had some sleep and hopefully no one would show up to relieve the Sgt. even if a part of him knew that was unlikely.
Having to walk past the wreckage Mark shook his head amazed at making it back to the ship in it and found himself next to nose of the fighter and the scarred and black pocked Mustang written across the scorched red. Patting it with the palm of his hand he had to smile. “Thanks Babe, I’ll have you back together flying again if I have to scour every Junkyard across this end of the Empire and half the Outback. The ship is going to need us.” Expecting the English Captain Summers (under the authority of the Supreme Admiral) to kill the promises he had heard from her and Captain Meyers. Then looking back from the hatch with a smile at his new command, Mark left the lock.
The Ensign on duty in the ships lock and hatch control center for all the ships locks and hull hatches, sat staring out through cameras that had not worked for 20 years. Not believing what they were showing her plastered all over the lock’s deck and bulkheads or the marine in battle armor walking the deck. Especially the Commander that not even a week before she had helped drag around the new Tramptown in his baptisms party. Not believing it was the same person or that the pictures all over the bulkheads were real but knowing they were. Finely understanding the Marines after she had replayed the ceremony a dozen times. For the first time since she had been assigned the lock control room watch a year before, she was not having a problem staying awake. Fact was she doubted she would ever sleep again with the images burned into her mind and knowing she would have to drop down from the Bridge deck to the lock after she got off watch even if she missed breakfast. Finely after her tears had started to run dry, sending it to friends and then the general bulletin board for the ship to see when they woke up the next day. Not realizing the trouble that would create across the ship as half the ship decided to look for themselves shortly after breakfast. Bringing work all across the ship to a standstill. And planetary news; crews started banging on the Queen’s Quarterdeck hatch, demanding to see for themselves and an explanation, when it leaked off the ship before the end of breakfast.
The Captain would again be heard screaming the name Mr. Collins across the ship’s public address system before she finished breakfast.
End of Book One
Thank you for reading my book Tramp Wars, the Enemy.
I hope you enjoyed it. Please give me a good revue if you liked it and want to read more. The Second book in the series should be out soon.
Tramp Wars: The Enemy Page 95
