Federation Marine 6: Lieutenant Colonel by Jonathan P. Brazee

Author:Jonathan P. Brazee [Brazee, Jonathan P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Variant Publications
Published: 2024-03-24T00:00:00+00:00

1 LOD: Line of Departure

2 ACOA: Air Combat Operations Area, a virtual box from which air assets have free rein

3 CAS: Close Air Support

4 Foxtrot-Uniform: Fucked up.

5 Romeo-Tango-Bravo: Return to Base.

17

“. . . Kinongee, Leif; Phyun, Thanh; Rizzio, Michael; Throckmorton, Clyde . . . ” the chaplain intoned, naming the Marines and sailor who had been on the Alpha Command trac.

Ryck stood in the first row at parade rest, his head down. Directly in front of him was a line of boots, weapons, and helmets, one set for each of those who had been killed. The chaplain gave the names of each one of the thirty-three KIAs in the order in which they had fallen.

The one good piece of news was that the docs in the Navy’s ER had managed to get PFC Houras Fin’s heart going again after taking him out of the ziplock. Ex Lance Corporal Fin, who Ryck had busted a rank for the fight at the E-Club what seemed like so long ago, had his KIA status officially reverted to WIA, making the total count for the battle thirty-two instead of thirty-three.

“. . . Castleberry, Lawrence; Berchard, Crispus . . . ”

Ryck sighed as he heard Crispus’s name. The chaplain had reached the Marines from the Bravo Command trac.

“. . .Gurnsey-Hollimer, Willis; Larry, Ted; Oppenheimer, Sean; Stilicho, Liam . . . ”

A tear rolled down Ryck’s cheek and reached the edge of his lip. Another tear joined it, and together, they dropped to the chapel floor as he watched it hit and break apart.

As the chaplain went on, Ryck thought about how many times he’d gone through a sending off ceremony. He should be used to it by now, but the reality was that each one got harder than the one before.

“ . . . McFadden, Tejay. May they rest in peace.”

From behind the chaplain, Corporal Annad Wilson stepped forward, bagpipes in hand. There was a pause, and then the mournful strains of “Amazing Grace” filled the chapel. As always, the music calmed Ryck. He wasn’t sure if it was the music itself or the bagpipes, but the hymn always had that effect on him.

As the last note slowly faded away, the gathered Marines and sailors came to attention. Without another word, Ryck, followed by Hecs, turned, stepped into the center aisle, and marched out of the chapel. Each row, front to back, followed until the chapel was empty and the battalion was lined up on either side of the school parking lot where four trucks waited. Once the battalion was in position, Hecs nodded to where Sams stood by the vehicle bay.

“Battalion, atten-HUT,” Ryck called out, then, “Present, ARMS!”

A moment later, the first Marine appeared, guiding a casket on a gravlift, a Federation flag draped over it, the flag’s edges almost touching the ground. One after the other, the line of the dead, guided by a close friend, crossed the parking lot and was loaded into a truck. Liam Stilicho’s pallbearer was Sandy.

The Marines and sailors held their salutes as the KIAs were loaded into the trucks.

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