Read Online Jethro Goes to War (Wandering Engineer Jethro's tale) by Chris Hechtl - Free Book Online Page A

came out from the shadows by the
equipment bay. He looked them over. “You're wondering why the
humans are off to themselves? That's why,” there were three
short platoons of humans left, Alpha, Beta, and Delta. Then there was
their one lonely oversized F platoon now that all of Delta and
Gamma's Neo's had been transferred to them.
    “ Sir yes sir,”
Jethro said.
    “ Figured it
out already did you?”
    “ Sir. Some of
it Sir.”
    “ I heard about
your lecture. You think you’re salty?”
    “ Sir. Not yet
sir,” Jethro tried not to flinch as the brim touched his nose.
He went cross eyed looking at the gold thread and insignia serving as
a hat band.
    “ Good answer,”
the DI growled locking eyes with him. That one eye and eye patch
seemed to burn into his for a moment then the gunny turned, moving
off. “You lot are together because the humans can't hack it
with you in the mix. You were bred for war. They weren't ,”
he shook his head, pacing back and forth.
    “ Neo's and
aliens all have unique abilities the human’s lack. At least
baseline normals. Heavy worlders are here now as well.” He
indicated the squat humans standing at attention nearby.
    “ That's bs
man,” Sergei mutters softly.
    “ How much can
you lift?” the DI asked. He didn't acknowledge that Sergei had
talked out of turn.
    Sergei stiffened to
attention. “Sir, this recruit can lift and carry five hundred
and sixty kilos sir!”
    “ All right,
well the baseline human can't lift that. The pussy...” Schultz
looked over to the cats. “No offense. The humans can barely
handle one fifty on a good day,” he snorted then spat.
    “ So, you'd be
bored. We can't have that. Which is why we lob you all together. That
way you’re more of a challenge,” he said as he smiled. It
wasn’t a particularly nice smile.
    “ I was in the
Dogs of War,” he said as they digested that last.
    “ Yes sir. We
know sir.”
    “ I figured you
would,” Schultz nodded. “Saw my sight picture once or
twice?”
    “ Ah, no sir.”
    “ Better not
have,” the dog growled softly. He rubbed at a scar on his left
forearm with his right prosthetic. The claw clenched and then
released.
    “ Sir are you
going to get a prosthetic like the Admiral?” Jethro asked. He
felt like kicking himself for sticking his neck out and opening his
big mouth.
    The gunny turned to
him then snorted. “I wish,” he sighed, clenching the
artificial hand.
    “ I'll get a
new one later. It's a bitch to clone my sonotype. Doc’s working
on it but she's so backlogged...” He shook his head. “Remember
that. It's easier to fix a human than one of you. Keep your eyes and
your mind on the task at hand at all times or you’re going to
end up like this,” he growled. He held up the prosthetic then
used it to point to his eye patch.
    “ Unlike you
I've got implants though,” he said. He looked around. “You’re
going to start to get them next week.” He turned back to them.
“But that's then. You've still got a hell of a lot to prove to
get there first. You reading me recruits?”
    “ Sir YES SIR!”
Jethro felt elated.
    “ Once we get
this cluster fisk under control we're going to do something
different. Some VR training,” he looked a little annoyed at the
idea.
    “ It's not my
idea. The best way to train is in the field. In real life. But since
we don't have a planet to play on right now...” he growled.
“This will have to do. Expect to do a refresher course on a
planet down the road,” he said shaking his head. He paced
again.
    “ Your first
sim is a drop. Combat drop. Get ready,” he started to move off.
The platoon looked at each other.
    “ Ah sir. Can
ah, we get some background?” Valenko asked.
    “ A briefing?
Or information in general?” The gunny turned eying them.
“Interesting.”
    “ Yes sir.
Knowing is half the battle. Intelligence can be key.”
    “ Impressive.
You thought of that all on your lonesome?” the DI asked.
    “ Sir no sir.
I've studied what