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Authors: Jonathan P. Brazee
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someone who has recently been locked in combat against them?”
“Politics make strange bedfellows, Major. Surely you know that by now. Whether your rash actions deserve this commendation or not, I would have to defer to the military side of our government. However, my side, the diplomatic side, thinks this is a good idea, as evidently do certain factions within the Free States government. With that in mind, the ambassador has decided to ignore the calls for your termination from your position and will keep you where you are. You duties, with concurrence from Captain Franks, will shift somewhat to more of a representative nature, rather than your previous duties.”
Mr. Lamonica had a habit of understating things, even if he tended to be direct and to the point. Ryck knew that the intelligence gathering had just been lowered in importance and showing the flag had just been elevated. Ryck knew what it was like to be a figurehead, and he didn’t like it. But if a Marine was trained to fight, they were also trained to obey orders, and Ryck would salute and march on.
He hadn’t digested yet what the chargé d’affaires had told him. Another foreign medal? What, if he fought someone, he got a medal from them? First Greater France, and now the Confederation? Were the trinoculars next?
Ryck didn’t think he was going to enjoy his last year-and-a-half on New Mumbai. But he wanted to finish it, and finish it honorably. He had a two-week leave coming up, two weeks with Hannah, the twins, and Benjamin back on Prosperity. He would rather have stayed on Tarawa, but it was time for Benjamin to meet his relatives. Regardless, he was going to use it to recharge himself before getting back. And if he was going to be a figurehead, he’d just suck it up and be the best grubbing figurehead he could be.
PROSPERITY
Chapter 9
Ryck grabbed a beer and slipped out the back, dodging several of the Hope of Life kids, along with Noah and his nephew Vyctor, as he made his way back to the gazebo alongside the cornfield fence. Barret, his sister’s husband, and Ezekial, Hannah’s brother, were already ensconced there, both with their own drinks.
“Give up in there?” Jonah asked.
“Yeah, too much estrogen in there, and way too many kids,” Ryck said, tipping his bottle to clink with those of his two brothers-in-law.
A screech sounded from the pack of kids weaving crazily around the yard as if in emphasis. Ryck wanted to rush over to see what had happened, to see if someone was hurt, but the other two men seemed to take it in stride, so he pushed down his anxiety.
Ryck had never seen so many kids since, well, since he was a kid, and so this was his first time as a father, and he tried not to seem over-protective. Benjamin, the two-year-old and the main reason for the gathering, was a fireball, and Ryck was not too concerned about him, but Noah was a little more reclusive, and Ryck had visions of him being bullied. Ryck risked a glance up in time to see it was Noah, though, who was giving Jebediah’s Benjamin a push, not the other way around. Ryck shook his head and turned back to the two men.
“You’re lucky you’ve only got three,” Barret told him.
The Torritites tended to large families, but Barret and Lysa were both Rational Methodists, who tended to fewer children. That hadn’t stopped them from having five kids, however, with another on the way.
It was hard to believe that when Lysa had told him, so many years ago, that she was marrying Barret, he hadn’t thought much of the man. He was 20 years older than Lysa, and he didn’t exude confidence. But looking at him now, Ryck was happy his sister had a good partner. Barret had turned out to be a loving, caring husband and a great father. He’d become quite the businessman, too, but it was his heart that Ryck admired.
“Well, it’s hard to have kids when you’re always away,” Ryck said as another
“Politics make strange bedfellows, Major. Surely you know that by now. Whether your rash actions deserve this commendation or not, I would have to defer to the military side of our government. However, my side, the diplomatic side, thinks this is a good idea, as evidently do certain factions within the Free States government. With that in mind, the ambassador has decided to ignore the calls for your termination from your position and will keep you where you are. You duties, with concurrence from Captain Franks, will shift somewhat to more of a representative nature, rather than your previous duties.”
Mr. Lamonica had a habit of understating things, even if he tended to be direct and to the point. Ryck knew that the intelligence gathering had just been lowered in importance and showing the flag had just been elevated. Ryck knew what it was like to be a figurehead, and he didn’t like it. But if a Marine was trained to fight, they were also trained to obey orders, and Ryck would salute and march on.
He hadn’t digested yet what the chargé d’affaires had told him. Another foreign medal? What, if he fought someone, he got a medal from them? First Greater France, and now the Confederation? Were the trinoculars next?
Ryck didn’t think he was going to enjoy his last year-and-a-half on New Mumbai. But he wanted to finish it, and finish it honorably. He had a two-week leave coming up, two weeks with Hannah, the twins, and Benjamin back on Prosperity. He would rather have stayed on Tarawa, but it was time for Benjamin to meet his relatives. Regardless, he was going to use it to recharge himself before getting back. And if he was going to be a figurehead, he’d just suck it up and be the best grubbing figurehead he could be.
PROSPERITY
Chapter 9
Ryck grabbed a beer and slipped out the back, dodging several of the Hope of Life kids, along with Noah and his nephew Vyctor, as he made his way back to the gazebo alongside the cornfield fence. Barret, his sister’s husband, and Ezekial, Hannah’s brother, were already ensconced there, both with their own drinks.
“Give up in there?” Jonah asked.
“Yeah, too much estrogen in there, and way too many kids,” Ryck said, tipping his bottle to clink with those of his two brothers-in-law.
A screech sounded from the pack of kids weaving crazily around the yard as if in emphasis. Ryck wanted to rush over to see what had happened, to see if someone was hurt, but the other two men seemed to take it in stride, so he pushed down his anxiety.
Ryck had never seen so many kids since, well, since he was a kid, and so this was his first time as a father, and he tried not to seem over-protective. Benjamin, the two-year-old and the main reason for the gathering, was a fireball, and Ryck was not too concerned about him, but Noah was a little more reclusive, and Ryck had visions of him being bullied. Ryck risked a glance up in time to see it was Noah, though, who was giving Jebediah’s Benjamin a push, not the other way around. Ryck shook his head and turned back to the two men.
“You’re lucky you’ve only got three,” Barret told him.
The Torritites tended to large families, but Barret and Lysa were both Rational Methodists, who tended to fewer children. That hadn’t stopped them from having five kids, however, with another on the way.
It was hard to believe that when Lysa had told him, so many years ago, that she was marrying Barret, he hadn’t thought much of the man. He was 20 years older than Lysa, and he didn’t exude confidence. But looking at him now, Ryck was happy his sister had a good partner. Barret had turned out to be a loving, caring husband and a great father. He’d become quite the businessman, too, but it was his heart that Ryck admired.
“Well, it’s hard to have kids when you’re always away,” Ryck said as another
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