13 Mercs: A Military SciFi Epic (Brothers in Arms Book 2) by Scott Moon

Author:Scott Moon [Moon, Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aethon Books
Published: 2020-11-23T22:00:00+00:00

17

Two patrols later, I’m on my own again, unsure if not having a place in the chain of command is a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, I haven’t had to do any bullshit cleaning details since the Slog. On the other, I feel displaced and lost most of the time. Say what you will about trench warfare, it was easy to tell where the enemies were.

Most of the time.

When we weren’t lost in a maze of graffiti-covered tunnels or hills of mud without landmarks.

So maybe it wasn’t such a great place. Maybe my stakes in life have improved since getting stolen from my unit by a traitor to the UGG who likely holds a grudge against my family.

A Kraken Marine thrusts his chin toward me as I cross the deck camp. “Are you looking for someone?”

“I’m trying to find a ride back to the Manticore and, from there, back to the UGG.”

He starts a laugh. “Why would you want to do that?”

“My unit is there.”

He looks me over. “We have Expeditionaries now?”

His question catches me off guard because I’m wearing the custom-fitted Manticore gear that Colonel Xen Chancellor assigned me. “More or less,” I answer.

“The only transports going between ships right now are critical supplies and medical emergencies,” the Kraken Marine says. “Didn’t you read the bulletin?”

“Yeah, I did. But just because they say there’s no transport doesn’t mean there’s no transport.”

“You’ve been around, haven’t you, Expo?”

“I’ve seen stuff.” The response is something I’ve heard other mercenary troops use since the battle for this ship ended.

The Kraken Marine indicates a spot on the deck. “You can put your gear down if you want. This is as good a place as any to wait. If they start running flights, you’ll be close at hand. And the captain comes by from time to time. You should probably meet him.”

“Why is that?” I’m curious. Why should this man care about the captain’s itinerary, or me for that matter?

“Captain Roth runs a tight ship. He likes to have a face-to-face with anyone who sets foot on the Kraken,” the Marine says.

“I’m sure he’s busy,” I say.

“You’re Priam, right? I’ve got your picture in my HUD with instructions to pass on the invitation,” he says. “Call me crazy, but making nice with Captain Roth is probably a good idea.”

“Agreed.”

“Are you injured? Because if you need medical triage, it’s that way,” he says. “Sick bay and surgical are still crowded, but the temporary center is getting caught up.”

I look at my hand, then open and close my fingers several times. There’s no telling what I did to it. My other injuries have been tended to over the last two days, but I do have business in the medical tents.

“Thanks. See you around,” I say, and then go in search of Durand and Hoist.

The closer I get to the medical area, the more I’m required to stand in line. Far above, work crews edge along scaffolding to make repairs. It still fascinates me that tents that wouldn’t have been out of place on the Slog line the flight deck.

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