This We'll Defend: Echoes of Liberty (Book 3) by Jason Fuesting

Author:Jason Fuesting [Fuesting, Jason]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ordered Operations, Inc.
Published: 2022-11-30T16:00:00+00:00

Three if By Orbit

0430, February 21, 222 PE

Eric smiled and went about his morning routine, which meant his bed was made long before he’d stepped out for morning PT. Something distantly nagged at him the whole time, but he wasn’t sure what exactly it was. On his return, he found his way to the shower. He was standing in front of the mirror in his towel, shaving, when his aug gave an unusual chime.

<Incoming secure call from: Office of Naval Intelligence>

<Keyset negotiated. Connection cleared for Top Secret-SCI.>

“This is Friedrich,” Eric answered automatically.

“Eric, Admiral Morely.”

“What can I do for you this fine Navy day, Admiral?”

“I’ve been sitting here reading this morning’s copy of the Navy Times. On one hand, I’d like to congratulate you, but on the other, really? So much for being a covert asset.”

“Sir? I just got done with morning PT and haven’t had my caffeine yet, not tracking.”

“Today’s headline?” Admiral Morely cleared his throat. “Weeping Angel - Victory at Long Last. The article is titled, ‘New promising officer candidate stops the pommies at Fulda. A first in over two hundred years.’ The article makes you out to be a rockstar, Friedrich.”

“Ah, shit.” Fuck. That’s what’s been bugging me all morning.

“’Aw, shit’ is right, Friedrich. We’ll have to live with it, like it or not. We’ve also processed more of the data you brought us since our last meeting. I went over your achievement yesterday and the new information with the other principals this morning as well. Things are a little more complicated now than they were, but nothing has changed. Do us all a favor and don’t let your newfound celebrity fuck this up more than it already has, okay?”

Eric frowned at his reflection in front of him. “With all due respect, sir, I don’t particularly feel like a celebrity. I feel like I’ve been hit by a train full of trucks.”

“I’ll clue you in, Friedrich. A little over seventy percent of Persians are either active duty, reserves, or veterans. Every last one of them has fought Weeping Angel. Unsurprisingly, a rather large portion of them know what a clusterfuck Fulda is rigged to be as they’ve either defended that godforsaken place themselves, attacked it as OPFOR, or supported the same. The Army, Navy, and Marine Times pushed articles on the surprise ending to Weeping Angel this morning using a rather unexpected photo of you as their centerpiece. A non-trivial percentage of the voting public is now very curious who you are. You’ve put us in some very strange waters, politically speaking, given the significance of your accomplishment and your non-Persian background no one else is currently aware of.

“Moreover, the public affairs officer at Quantico has been beating back reporters with a bat since ENDEX was called. There’s only so much stonewalling we can do, Eric. Sooner or later, one of those vultures is going to catch up to you or someone who knows you. I trust you not to say anything that would discredit the service, but I’m sure you can understand my concern, yes?”

“Aye, sir.

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