A Stainless Steel Trio by Harry Harrison

Author:Harry Harrison
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 2002-06-29T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

There was very little time to sit around and relax. As fast as the officers were spewed out of the supply depot, staggering under the weight of all their combat gear, trucks appeared to carry them away into the night. Groaning and complaining, with the rest of the groaners and complainers, Morton and I heaved our bags and weapons over the tailgate of a truck and clambered after. When it was filled to capacity, and slightly more, we lurched away.

“And to shink that I just reenlishted. Voluntarily,” an officer expostulated leaning heavily against me. There was a gurgling sound from an upended bottle.

“Share the wealth, share the wealth,” I muttered as I pried the bottle from his shaking grasp. It was pretty foul stuff, but was rich with alcohol.

“You still don’t drink?” I gasped at Morton, holding up the rapidly emptying bottle.

“I’m learning fast.” He gulped then coughed, then gulped again before relinquishing the bottle to its original owner.

A deep rumble washed over us and we had to close our eyes against the glare as a spacer took off. The invasion was on. We swayed into each other as the truck squealed to a halt and a now familiar and loathsome voice ordered us out. Our nemesis, the pressgang colonel, was waiting for us. He was backed up now by a radio operator and a gaggle of noncoms. Behind him companies, battalions of soldiers, were marching in good order to the waiting transports.

“Now hear this,” the colonel bellowed. “Those are good troops back there, and they need good officers. Unhappily all I have for them are you fat-bottomed desk types, the dregs of the base. So I’m going to split you up, one to every company, in the hopes that you will maybe get some experience before you get dead.”

This was not good. I had promised Morton I would look after him. Which I could not do if we were in different companies. I sighed. I would have to break the first rule of military survival. Although it violated the primary army axiom—keep your mouth shut and don’t volunteer—I volunteered. Stepping forward smartly and slamming my bootheels down as I snapped to attention.

“Sir! My bottom is lean, my gut is flat. I have field experience. I fire sharpshooter, I instruct unarmed combat.”

“And I don’t believe you!” he roared into my face.

I threw him onto the ground, put my foot on his back, took away his gun, shot out one of the streetlights, helped him to his feet and handed back his weapon. His fierce glare melted almost to a smile as he wiped pebbles from his uniform.

“I could use a few more like you. You get a combat company. Name?”

“Drem. I respectfully request Lieutenant Hesk here as exec. He is young and dumb but I have been training him.”

“You got him. Move out. Any more volunteers?”

I grabbed up my bags before he could change his mind and hurried off toward the transports with Morton stumbling behind.

“I thought that I was going to die when you knocked him down,” he gasped.

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