Read Online Starfist: A World of Hurt by David Sherman & Dan Cragg - Free Book Online
Authors: David Sherman & Dan Cragg
Tags: Military science fiction
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a gap between names, wide enough for another name. It rippled slightly in the smoothness of the Stone's face, and was sunk a bit below the surrounding surface. Bass stood to look at the gap and nodded.
"They'll do the same thing on your name, Charlie."
"Until it goes back for real."
"Maybe. But they'll be carving on the fifth Stone before that happens."
Bass dropped back to a squat and brushed his fingertips over the newest names once more.
"Marines don't die, we go to hell and regroup. I'll see you again, then," he promised the Marines whose names he touched. He stood and in a thick voice said to Myer, "Let's head back to the company and do what we can to make it a long, long time before any names go onto that fifth Stone."
Anatoly Sibir called his boss and told him he was too sick to come into work. In fact he wasn't sick, except perhaps from love. Or maybe it was just infatuation, one could never quite tell with people so young. He was in love with Sonja Koryak. Or maybe it was simple lust. Sonja was a year and a half younger than Anatoly and still a university student, though she was going to graduate in the spring. It was not at all happenstance that she skipped classes on the same day Anatoly called out sick. The two lived in the city of Neu-Kiev, near the southern border of Ammon, and planned to meet and spend the day together in the wilderness without any of their elders--those stuffy original Frères Jacques--lecturing them on how dangerous it was outside the borders of Ammon.
When you're young and in love, there is no risk too great to take to be alone with your love.
Their rendezvous was at the southern edge of town. Anatoly added Sonja's basket to the blanket and wine bottle he'd already stored in his scoot's trunk, then she mounted behind him; the scoot was just the right size for two, if they were friendly enough. The road ended abruptly five kilometers south, where the foresting operation had recently been terminated until the tree farm within its boundaries became mature enough to harvest. But the land was level and recently cleared, so they continued another ten kilometers, to the edge of the forest, then turned along it toward the cliffs of the Salainen Mountains, a short distance farther to the west, where Anatoly had recently found a secluded glade. It was just a brief walk up the slope of the mountainside, and he thought it was exactly right as a trysting spot for two young lovers such as Sonja and himself.
When they got there they discovered he wasn't the only one who'd found the glade and thought it was ideal--it was already occupied by another young couple, who were so engrossed with each other they didn't notice they had company.
Anatoly and Sonja discreetly withdrew and decided to climb higher. Surely that would place them far enough from the possibility of interruption.
Right at the foot of a slope the trees bent away to form a cozy cul-de-sac, and they set out their picnic. After they ate, they excused themselves to go politely behind bushes for relief.
Anatoly came back excited, and insisted Sonja come see what he'd found.
He'd gone uphill a short way and found a saddle from which he could see into the valley beyond. She was reluctant, but he was insistent. He took the blanket when they went to explore.
On the saddle's other side was virgin territory. It truly looked as though the foot of man had never trod there. The foliage of the trees and other growth was scarlet, pink, amber, blue, and all of the ten billion greens. The trees were spaced as if in an orchard, and the undergrowth was almost polite in the open spaces between them. The ground cover was spongy underfoot.
Sonja's eyes glowed as she took in the natural beauty that surrounded them. Anatoly's eyes gleamed as he took in the natural beauty of his love.
It wasn't long before they had the blanket laid on the ground, themselves laid on it, and their clothing disheveled and then some.
They broke from a blissful clench and
"They'll do the same thing on your name, Charlie."
"Until it goes back for real."
"Maybe. But they'll be carving on the fifth Stone before that happens."
Bass dropped back to a squat and brushed his fingertips over the newest names once more.
"Marines don't die, we go to hell and regroup. I'll see you again, then," he promised the Marines whose names he touched. He stood and in a thick voice said to Myer, "Let's head back to the company and do what we can to make it a long, long time before any names go onto that fifth Stone."
Anatoly Sibir called his boss and told him he was too sick to come into work. In fact he wasn't sick, except perhaps from love. Or maybe it was just infatuation, one could never quite tell with people so young. He was in love with Sonja Koryak. Or maybe it was simple lust. Sonja was a year and a half younger than Anatoly and still a university student, though she was going to graduate in the spring. It was not at all happenstance that she skipped classes on the same day Anatoly called out sick. The two lived in the city of Neu-Kiev, near the southern border of Ammon, and planned to meet and spend the day together in the wilderness without any of their elders--those stuffy original Frères Jacques--lecturing them on how dangerous it was outside the borders of Ammon.
When you're young and in love, there is no risk too great to take to be alone with your love.
Their rendezvous was at the southern edge of town. Anatoly added Sonja's basket to the blanket and wine bottle he'd already stored in his scoot's trunk, then she mounted behind him; the scoot was just the right size for two, if they were friendly enough. The road ended abruptly five kilometers south, where the foresting operation had recently been terminated until the tree farm within its boundaries became mature enough to harvest. But the land was level and recently cleared, so they continued another ten kilometers, to the edge of the forest, then turned along it toward the cliffs of the Salainen Mountains, a short distance farther to the west, where Anatoly had recently found a secluded glade. It was just a brief walk up the slope of the mountainside, and he thought it was exactly right as a trysting spot for two young lovers such as Sonja and himself.
When they got there they discovered he wasn't the only one who'd found the glade and thought it was ideal--it was already occupied by another young couple, who were so engrossed with each other they didn't notice they had company.
Anatoly and Sonja discreetly withdrew and decided to climb higher. Surely that would place them far enough from the possibility of interruption.
Right at the foot of a slope the trees bent away to form a cozy cul-de-sac, and they set out their picnic. After they ate, they excused themselves to go politely behind bushes for relief.
Anatoly came back excited, and insisted Sonja come see what he'd found.
He'd gone uphill a short way and found a saddle from which he could see into the valley beyond. She was reluctant, but he was insistent. He took the blanket when they went to explore.
On the saddle's other side was virgin territory. It truly looked as though the foot of man had never trod there. The foliage of the trees and other growth was scarlet, pink, amber, blue, and all of the ten billion greens. The trees were spaced as if in an orchard, and the undergrowth was almost polite in the open spaces between them. The ground cover was spongy underfoot.
Sonja's eyes glowed as she took in the natural beauty that surrounded them. Anatoly's eyes gleamed as he took in the natural beauty of his love.
It wasn't long before they had the blanket laid on the ground, themselves laid on it, and their clothing disheveled and then some.
They broke from a blissful clench and
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