Lieutenant Colonel (The United Federation Marine Corps Book 6) (23 page)
Read Lieutenant Colonel (The United Federation Marine Corps Book 6) Online
Authors: Jonathan P. Brazee
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Genre Fiction, #War, #Science Fiction & Fantasy, #Science Fiction, #Military, #Space Marine
TARAWA
Epilogue
“Attention to orders!” the adjutant shouted out, his voice reverberating across the parade deck, enveloping the battalion as it stood in formation.
Sergeant Timko Pleasance’s rich baritone voice took over as he spoke into the microphone, the speakers strategically placed in the stands.
The Chairman of the United Federation takes great pride in awarding the Chairman’s Unit Citation to the Second Battalion, Third Marines (REIN), First Marine Expeditionary Brigade, for service as set for the in the following citation:
For extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance in action against enemy forces in support of the government of Freemantle on May 3, 357. On this day, the newly designated assault battalion, one of only two in the Marine Corps, conducted two separate assaults against a well-trained, well-armed, and entrenched enemy. During Phase 1, Second Battalion, Third Marines (REIN) conducted a coordinated mechanized and infantry assault on the enemy-held town of Hester. Initially using deception and maneuver to confuse the enemy forces, the battalion then assaulted the enemy positions with vigor, making use of armored infantry, tanks, and armored personnel carriers to isolate and destroy enemy pockets of resistance, which eventually resulted in a complete surrender by the enemy as those forces realized their position was untenable. Only a few hours later, the infantry Marines, divested of their armor and heavy weaponry, initiated Phase 2 of the operation, the assault on the main enemy stronghold of Fort Aragung. Loaded aboard aircraft, the Second Battalion, Third Marines (REIN) conducted the first battalion-sized airborne assault since the War of the Far Reaches. Quickly overwhelming the enemy forces at the insert site, the battalion set up a defensive perimeter so that the attached Second Section, First Engineer Platoon, First Marine Expeditionary Brigade, could conduct breaching operations into the fort to allow for egress of the remainder of the brigade’s forces. Faced with an overwhelming armored infantry enemy assault, the battalion deployed to protect the engineers. Despite huge odds, Second Battalion, Third Marines (REIN) held off the better-armed enemy, suffering significant losses, but never wavering in its determination to protect the engineer team. Second Section, First Engineer Platoon, despite losing more than half of its fuel, but given the protection of the rest of the battalion, was able to use field expedient methods and ingenuity to finish the breach, allowing for the remainder of the brigade forces to enter the fort, which resulted in a complete capitulation of the enemy. The ferocity and success of the mission were made possible through the skills, determination, and selfless sacrifice of the Marines and Sailors of the battalion. By their devotion to duty, the officers and enlisted personnel of Second Battalion, Third Marines (REIN) reflect great credit upon themselves and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United Federation Naval Service.
Given under my hand,
Harrison T. Kaufmann
Chairman
Lance Corporal Gupta, the battalion color bearer, who had been standing in front of the commandant and Tarawa governor, lowered the colors. A private, standing by like a military ring bearer, held out the cushion upon which the Chairman’s Unit Citation streamer lay. General Papadakis picked up the streamer and handed it to the governor, who then solemnly attached it to the silver ring that circled the staff just below the spearhead where it joined the numerous other citation and battle streamers.
The Chairman’s Unit Citation was the highest unit award possible, and it was rarely given. This was the first time in its long history that 2/3 had received one.
Lance Corporal Gupta raised the colors, and the color guard, consisting of the Federation flag and the battalion, Navy, and Marine Corps colors performed their counter march until they were facing the battalion again.
“Detail, center face,” Ryck ordered quietly and the split line of eight Marines, four on each side, faced inwards. “Forward, march,” was followed by, “Halt,” and, “Right and left, face!”
With the awardees now in position again behind the color guard, the adjutant sounded “Pass in review!” as the drummer picked up the beat.
The orders were echoed throughout the battalion as Headquarters and Service Company, all 55 Marines and sailors, proudly stepped off. The company might not be the same size as the line companies, but they didn’t let that affect their demeanor. They had fought well in the battle and no less than 19 of them had received a Battle Citation 3 or higher. That included Ryck with his second Navy Cross and Proctor Christophe with his posthumous Silver Star, but it also included Marines like Staff Sergeant Marten Ekema, who had proven to be as fierce a warrior as he was a good cook and who had received the Bronze Star.
All told, the battalion had been awarded 119 Battle Citation 3 or higher awards, which was more than any battalion for a single conflict since, well, the division historian hadn’t figured that out yet. Ryck knew that there had been a little quiet grumbling made by others within the division about the number of awards, but screw them, he thought. The Corps was historically and culturally parsimonious with awards, but while he knew he was biased—this was his battalion and his men, after all—but he thought the awards were deserved.
He wasn’t so sure about his Navy Cross, but he realized that as commander, he was being awarded it in reflection of the battalion as a whole, so he would wear it for all of them. Three more Navy Crosses—to Sergeant Jason Baker, who was standing proudly to his right, and posthumously to Private First Class Kinko Tabaver and Captain Christopher Attleman—were more deserved, as was the recommendation for Joab Ling for the Federation Nova, which was still in the process.
Ryck had watched in awe the recording of Joab in action as he led his tiny team against the oncoming mercs. After analysis, there was no doubt in Ryck’s mind that without Joab and his suicidal charge, the mercs would have overrun the battalion before the breach could have been opened. Those four or five minutes that Joab and his men had given the battalion were enough for the engineers to finish the breach.
Joab was still in regen, and he would be for a couple more months. He had a good portion of his pelvis and legs destroyed by a kinetic round, but more importantly, he’d suffered significant brain damage after he had “died” and before he’d been put into stasis. He had quite a bit of regen ahead of him as a consequence, but he was conscious now and in good spirits. He knew he’d been put in for the Nova, and Ryck had had a long talk with the young lieutenant about how that would change his life. Joab would be the fourth living Marine with a Nova, and his life, as he knew it before, had taken a turn—for the better or worse, Ryck couldn’t say with certainty, but mostly for the better, he thought.
Golf Company followed H & S, already back up to full strength. Most of the Marines and sailors, though, were new, coming into the battalion within the last four months. To the survivors of the Battle of Fort Aragung, it seemed like they were interlopers, taking the place of lost friends. It wasn’t fair or deserved, but it was what it was. It would take time for the ghosts of the old Golf to move on and the new Golf Company to form its own persona.
The rest of the battalion and the color guard marched off the parade deck and were followed by the tanks and the Armadillos—which were still part of the T/O—rumbling past. Finally, a flight of Storks did a low run over the parade deck.
With that, the official ceremony was over. Busses were waiting, and as soon as the Marines were marched to the armory and turned in their weapons, they would be loaded on the busses to be taken to the Hilton for the party, paid in full by the Federation. Of course, there were news teams dispatched to make sure the entire Federation was aware of both the battalion’s exploits as well as the Federation’s support of the boys in uniform, but still, from what Ryck could see, this was going to be a pretty big shindig. They even had David Yves performing, much to the delight of the younger Marines (as well as Esther and even the normally taciturn Noah). Ryck didn’t like the singer’s reedy voice, but he realized that the older generations had always poo-poo’d whatever music was currently popular—and Yves was very, very popular at the moment.
As one of the eight Marines getting an award during the ceremony (all the other awards had already been given at smaller ceremonies over the last four months), Ryck didn’t have a weapon, so he was free to make his way to the Hilton with his family. He congratulated the other seven Marines—who included Sergeant Baker and Silver Star awardees Corporal Albert, who’d attacked the seeker team with his trac, Genghis, and Sergeant Tillimook, the engineer team leader.
Ryck saw Hannah waiting patiently with the kids, but the governor grabbed him first and spent five minutes politicking—with the holocams running of course, recording everything. Ryck smiled and nodded, not really listening.
It wasn’t until the Federation liaison, who was actually the senior government official on the planet, reminded him that the great David Yves would be arriving at the Hilton shortly that the man shut up and made his quick goodbyes.
Ryck accepted a few more congratulations before he was able to make his way to where his family patiently waited. Hannah leaned in to kiss him on the cheek while Ben simply stared up at his father. Ryck kneeled, and Ben reached out to touch the new Navy Cross hanging from his pocket flap. The medal would be replaced by a star to add to his original Navy Cross, but for the ceremony, a new medal had been pinned on him.
Ben turned it over to inspect the backside, then let it fall before asking, “Did you see the tanks?”
“Yes, son. I was right there,” Ryck said as Esther rolled her eyes.
“I liked them. Can you drive one?” Ben asked.
“I don’t drive them, Ben. That is for the tank drivers,” Ryck explained.
“Oh. I wish you could be a driver like them,” Ben said.
“Daddy, let’s go,” Esther pleaded, taking him by the arm and pulling him toward the parking lot and their hover. “Giselle just messaged me that David just arrived, and you promised we could meet him.”
Ryck hesitated a moment, still looking at Ben. His youngest was just getting to the age where he was interested in the military, and for some reason, Ryck wanted to stress to Ben that he was the commander, and the tank drivers worked for him.
Is my ego that fragile?
he wondered with a laugh as he realized what he was thinking.
Of course, Bern liked tanks. Most little boys did. And if he thought the tank drivers had a more important job than he did as battalion commander, what of it? A lot of people would make that argument, he knew.
“OK, OK,” he told Esther as he stood back up. “I promised, and so shall I deliver, my lady. Lead on.”
With Esther latched on his arm as if she thought he’d get pulled away by someone else, the family made its way to the hover. The kids piled in as Ryck took one more look around for a moment. On the other side of the parking lot, near the company CP, the battalion was filing into the armory while Hecs was giving them some last minute instructions. The party was going to be packed with bigwigs, and at any given moment, the proceedings were being recorded for broadcast through human space. Alcohol would be flowing freely, but that would be no excuse for bad behavior. Hecs was telling them to have fun, but not
too
much fun.
“Daddy! Let’s go!” Esther pleaded from inside the hover.
Ryck opened the driver’s door to get in when the sergeant major ended his spiel with a shout of “Fuzos!”
Ryck joined the rest of the battalion as he answered back with every ounce of his being, “FUZOS!”
Thank you for reading
Lieutenant Colonel
. I hope you enjoyed it, and I welcome a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or any other outlet.
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Other Books by Jonathan Brazee
The Return of the Marines Trilogy
The Al Anbar Chronicles: First Marine Expeditionary Force--Iraq
The United Federation Marine Corps
Coming Soon: Colonel
(Set in the UFMC universe)
Werewolf of Marines
Werewolf of Marines: Semper Lycanus
Werewolf of Marines: Patria Lycanus
Darwin’s Quest: The Search for the Ultimate Survivor
Venus: A Paleolithic Short Story
Non-Fiction
