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Authors: Lawrence White
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talking about, Gar. It’ll be bad. Going there was months away. Now you’re telling me it’s . . . right now?”
“We’re leaving as soon as we can pull it together. You and I beat the Rebels with no preparation at all. This time we have time to prepare, but we won’t have easy access to support once we leave. We have to take everything with us. Will you be my second in command?”
“Depends,” Lebac said guardedly. “We waited until the Terrans took out the Chessori before we took on the rebels. We can’t operate that way against gleasons. We’ll be on our own. Besides, you’ve been in a dark mood lately, my friend.”
Havlock shot a furtive glance toward Galborae, then returned a steady gaze to Lebac. “And you know why.”
Lebac frowned. “You see the marines who died. The rest of us look at the marines who lived. General Stymes must believe a change of venue will do you good. I happen to think he’s right, but gleasons? ”
“You’ve probably heard we have a life force sensor that can identify gleasons. We’ll do most of our fighting from shuttles.”
Lebac shook his head. “It’s never that simple, Gar, and you know it. It’ll take all of us at our very best.”
Havlock nodded. “It will. I’m already putting the rebellion behind me. Stick with me, Zac. Let’s pull off another win.”
“Only if I get your best.”
“You have my word on it.”
Lebacstuck out a hand with a grin . “Then I’m in. I’m ready for a change, as well.”
“I want all the officers and as many of the enlisted as possible to be volunteers. Find people you can live with, then I’ll interview the officers and senior sergeants.”
The two of them discussed an overall plan, then Lebac left to get started on preparations. Havlock watched his friend go, then he led Galborae and Limam from the building. They strolled down a wide boulevard adjacent to the port, the smell of freshly clipped grasses filling their nostrils. The sun burned fiercely and Galborae felt like removing his tunic, but he’d been with the marines long enough to know they frowned on uniform imperfections. He did not have an actual uniform, but he had been wearing the tunic since his arrival and knew they considered it appropriate for him.
“So you know the lands around your town out to a distance of one month on a gorlac. That’s an animal?” Havlock asked.
“It’s a four-legged beast.”
“What about the rest of your world?” Havlock asked, beginning to get a better handle on the scope of his mission. “You say there are more kingdoms. Do they all speak the same language?”
“I don’t know. I had never heard another language before the Knight’s ship arrived.”
“You ride gorlacs. I take it you have no self-powered vehicles.”
“We don’t.”
“You carry a sword, so you have fire.”
Galborae rolled his eyes. “And wheels. We eat out of bowls. We use spoons and knives. We have roads and castles and homes and healers.”
Havlock reached a hand out to Galborae. “I mean no disrespect. I’m just trying to get my hands around the nature of our mission. How high can you count?”
Galborae blinked, not understanding the question. “What?”
“We have 20 combat shuttles. Each of them carries a twenty-man squad, two pilots, a medic, and an officer. How many soldiers do we have?”
Galborae didn’t hesitate. “Many.”
“How many?”
Galborae knew he was missing something, but the only answer that made any sense to him was many.
Havlock needed no further explanation and he changed the subject. “What will your people think when they see us fighting the gleasons?”
“It would be best if they only see me.”
Havlock shook his head. “No matter how hard we try, we’ll be seen. Rumors will spread.”
“Governor Seeton and the Knight each went to a lot of trouble to explain the consequences to my people of learning there’s an empire of aliens beyond our skies, but that’s your problem. I only care about
“We’re leaving as soon as we can pull it together. You and I beat the Rebels with no preparation at all. This time we have time to prepare, but we won’t have easy access to support once we leave. We have to take everything with us. Will you be my second in command?”
“Depends,” Lebac said guardedly. “We waited until the Terrans took out the Chessori before we took on the rebels. We can’t operate that way against gleasons. We’ll be on our own. Besides, you’ve been in a dark mood lately, my friend.”
Havlock shot a furtive glance toward Galborae, then returned a steady gaze to Lebac. “And you know why.”
Lebac frowned. “You see the marines who died. The rest of us look at the marines who lived. General Stymes must believe a change of venue will do you good. I happen to think he’s right, but gleasons? ”
“You’ve probably heard we have a life force sensor that can identify gleasons. We’ll do most of our fighting from shuttles.”
Lebac shook his head. “It’s never that simple, Gar, and you know it. It’ll take all of us at our very best.”
Havlock nodded. “It will. I’m already putting the rebellion behind me. Stick with me, Zac. Let’s pull off another win.”
“Only if I get your best.”
“You have my word on it.”
Lebacstuck out a hand with a grin . “Then I’m in. I’m ready for a change, as well.”
“I want all the officers and as many of the enlisted as possible to be volunteers. Find people you can live with, then I’ll interview the officers and senior sergeants.”
The two of them discussed an overall plan, then Lebac left to get started on preparations. Havlock watched his friend go, then he led Galborae and Limam from the building. They strolled down a wide boulevard adjacent to the port, the smell of freshly clipped grasses filling their nostrils. The sun burned fiercely and Galborae felt like removing his tunic, but he’d been with the marines long enough to know they frowned on uniform imperfections. He did not have an actual uniform, but he had been wearing the tunic since his arrival and knew they considered it appropriate for him.
“So you know the lands around your town out to a distance of one month on a gorlac. That’s an animal?” Havlock asked.
“It’s a four-legged beast.”
“What about the rest of your world?” Havlock asked, beginning to get a better handle on the scope of his mission. “You say there are more kingdoms. Do they all speak the same language?”
“I don’t know. I had never heard another language before the Knight’s ship arrived.”
“You ride gorlacs. I take it you have no self-powered vehicles.”
“We don’t.”
“You carry a sword, so you have fire.”
Galborae rolled his eyes. “And wheels. We eat out of bowls. We use spoons and knives. We have roads and castles and homes and healers.”
Havlock reached a hand out to Galborae. “I mean no disrespect. I’m just trying to get my hands around the nature of our mission. How high can you count?”
Galborae blinked, not understanding the question. “What?”
“We have 20 combat shuttles. Each of them carries a twenty-man squad, two pilots, a medic, and an officer. How many soldiers do we have?”
Galborae didn’t hesitate. “Many.”
“How many?”
Galborae knew he was missing something, but the only answer that made any sense to him was many.
Havlock needed no further explanation and he changed the subject. “What will your people think when they see us fighting the gleasons?”
“It would be best if they only see me.”
Havlock shook his head. “No matter how hard we try, we’ll be seen. Rumors will spread.”
“Governor Seeton and the Knight each went to a lot of trouble to explain the consequences to my people of learning there’s an empire of aliens beyond our skies, but that’s your problem. I only care about
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