Federation Marine 2: Sergeant by Jonathan P. Brazee

Author:Jonathan P. Brazee [Brazee, Jonathan P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Variant Publications
Published: 2023-11-18T16:00:00+00:00

12

Every Marine’s eyes were glued to the holo display in the lounge. With the Navy at Battle Stations Bravo, the lounge was empty, and the battalion CO had gotten permission for the Marines to watch the feed in the lounges rather than in their berthing spaces. Trying to watch on the 2D screens in berthing did not convey the true breadth and depth of a battle in space.

Battle Stations Bravo meant the Marines were in long johns or cottons, as their mission required, but not in full battle gear, be that PICS or EVAs. That would be Battle Stations Alpha.

The Ark Royal was on the periphery of the probable battlespace, providing security along the Z-axis, several million kilometers from the Bismarck. That was why the crew was only in Battle Stations Bravo. If she was with the main force, they would already be at Alpha.

The Y-axis was always parallel to an arbitrary line running through Earth and along the galactic center. During fleet ops, one ship, in this case the Bismarck, was the reference point, with the X, Y, and Z axes radiating from it.

The display had the forty-one Navy ships in the task force identified, twenty-nine in the main assault force, the remainder in peripheral security. A few platoons of Marines had been cross-decked to other ships, but the bulk were on three ships: the regimental headquarters and 1/9 were on the Bismarck, 2/9 was on the Ark Royal, and 3/9 on the Chakri Naruebet, which was on the other side of the Z-axis as the Ark Royal. If things continued as was being announced, only 1/9 might see any action, much to the dismay of most of Ryck’s fellow 2/9 Marines.

This was history in the making. TF-207, with Admiral Starling in command, was the first Federation fleet to locate a French task force, and the upcoming engagement would be the first naval full-fledged action since the War of the Far Reaches. If things went as forecasted, a quick defeat would force the French to capitulate and be absorbed into the Federation. Careers would be made in this battle, and it could even pave the way for Starling to assume the Federation chairmanship.

“This sucks the big one,” Sams muttered beside Ryck as they watched the slowly shifting display. “One-nine’s going to get all the glory.”

“You’ve got that right,” Ryck whispered back.

Ryck had nothing against the French, and truth be told, he thought Greater France might have had a legitimate beef with the Federation, although he knew better than to ever express that opinion. He’d even almost joined the Legion before enlisting in the Marines. But he was not involved with the politics—he just did his duty as ordered.

Ryck doubted that 1/9 would really get any glory, anyway. This was going to be a Navy fight. But still, to be there in the thick of things in what would be a pivotal moment in history, that would be something special.

“Sergeant L, why is everything moving so slow?” asked Tipper Prifit.

Keeping

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