“Yes, Sir, I’ll get on it!”
“I have already cleared you for departure and the stores have been ordered to give all that you ask, they are aware that this is a live fire exercise. You report only
to me directly on this, get going ASAP!”
The General nodded in gratitude, he was glad to have officers who he could rely on. He strode off leaving Taylor stood considering his situation. He understood the General would only ask it of him if there were serious danger to the colony. On the other hand he knew that a single company was a meagre force to defend anything.
Walking back to the drill square he stopped in front of his company, the men eagerly awaiting some news. The General’s vehicle was already coasting into the distance. He looked around, nobody but his unit in sight.
“Stand easy and come forward!”
The men looked surprised not to be dismissed as per regulations and norm. They huddled around in a circle around the Major. He turned, looking at all their faces.
“We are deploying immediately to the Moon colony. That much is no secret. However, officially we are on a live fire training exercise. Unofficially, I want every one of you on guard and ready to fight. The General has entrusted us with a mission and we will get it done. I want you formed up in one hour, full kit, including counter pressure suits, masks, the lot. Ammunition is on its way. That will be all. Get to it!”
The men initially looked a little dazed, but they quickly snapped out of it as the Sergeants began barking their orders to get the men moving. Suarez moved up to the Major with a puzzled expression on his face.
“What the hell’s going on? A few days ago it was high alert, now officially a training mission?”
“Top brass hasn’t got a clue what is going on and nobody is keen to give them answers. The General is concerned that we don’t sit idle if a threat exists.”
“Fine, but one company? If there is any major military threat, what could we even do?”
Taylor turned to him, more than irritated by his constant questions and petty nature.
“A damn sight more than scientists and civilians, that’s for sure. Now, kit up, we’ve got a job to do, Lieutenant!”
Suarez straightened himself realising how foolish he was being. Not only that, he was questioning the orders of his superiors. He saluted quickly before rushing off to gather his equipment. Taylor stood and watched as his company scattered to fulfil their tasks. He was not at all comfortable with their orders.
Through the minor combat and policing actions which the Major had participated, they had always done so with substantial intel. He had little idea what to expect on the Moon colony and that concerned him. Training for immediate deployment was a regular part of their training, so Taylor was glad to see that the entire company was formed up with its gear in thirty-five minutes. They were ready before their transport had even arrived.
The Major paced up and down the square, looking out at his company. They sat about with their equipment stacked in lines, impatiently waiting for the vehicles. Taylor turned to see Sergeant Eleanor Parker walking up to him. He stopped pacing in surprise. He’d always found it difficult to be her superior when they had slept together after more than one operation. Not only that, but she was supposed to be recovering from a broken arm sustained in training.
Parker was shorter and slighter than any marine in the company, but she carried herself tall and proud. Her brunette hair was tied back perfectly and out of sight, her uniform immaculate and with no sign of the arm brace she’d been wearing until the day before. Her blue-grey eyes were piercing, and it was quite clear what she wanted. She quickly saluted and jumped into her request.
“Sir, requesting permission to rejoin the unit for operational duty!”
“Sergeant, you are not cleared from medical leave for another seven days.”
“Sir, that’s Doctor’s recommendations, not orders. I am ready to get back to it. If you have a mission to do you’ll need me back.”
Taylor looked around the lines of marines. He knew that Parker wasn’t fully recovered yet, neither did he want to see any harm come to her. Despite this, he hated the idea of leaving a fellow marine behind. He also knew that she was a useful asset to her platoon.
“Sergeant, no bullshit, can you do your job?”
“Yes, Sir!”
“Alright, fall in, your platoon leader will fill you in on the mission details.”
She could not help herself from grinning. She was so happy she could have leapt up and kissed him. For a moment Taylor thought she might even do so.
“That’ll be all, Sergeant!”
Parker saluted the Major and immediately heaved her equipment onto her shoulder and joined the rest of the unit. Taylor looked again across the platoons under his command, they were visibly uneasy. No one was being straight about what was expected of them. There was little he could do to remedy that, he knew nothing more himself. Before he could think of any words to calm his troops their buses pulled into view.
“Load up! Let’s go!” Taylor shouted.
He watched as his men poured into the vehicles in an efficient and an enthusiastic manner. He commanded five platoons. Four of them were infantry units compromising of forty-one men, and his own sixteen-man command platoon. A Lieutenant led each platoon, with additional officers in his HQ unit. They’d seen more action than any other serving unit in the U.S. military, but that was still nothing compared to the wartime experience of veterans of bygone wars.
The buses coasted on through the base until they could see the assembly area in view. He knew that it would soon be needed for major operational duties, and yet the area was almost empty. A few copters and transports lay unattended and work crews went on leisurely about their jobs. An Achilles transport craft was being loaded and was the only sign of serious work in sight. Taylor could already make out the unmistakeable figure of Eddie Rains guiding in his fellow copter pilots as they loaded up the Falcon shuttles in the cargo bay. The Achilles class transports were the military’s main means of transport into space. They could carry up to two hundred and fifty men, and five shuttles.
Thirty minutes later their kit was stowed and they were lifting off. UEN forces did regular training exercises on the Moon, but only a hundred regular troops were stationed there at any time. A further six hundred civilians were part of a colony defence force, citizen soldiers. Taylor knew that his force would effectively double the strength of their numbers, but it was still a fraction of what would be needed against a sizeable enemy force.
Taylor stood on the bridge with his command platoon as they made their break into orbit. The ship was crewed by twenty-four Navy personnel. He grinned as he watched Eddie look in astonishment at their operating procedures. He had no love of their disciplined and machine-like way of working. Captain Reyes commanded the vessel, the Deveron.
“It’s an eight hour run, Major, you’re welcome to make full use of all the facilities we have to offer.”
“Thank you, Captain. I only ask one thing of you. It’s important that we discuss our operation en route to the colony. The details of our mission remain top secret. Anything that your crew hear or see must not be repeated to anyone.”
“Understood, Sir, those are our standard operating procedures. Loose lips sink ships and all that.”
Taylor nodded in agreement and gratitude. He turned to his command staff and signalled for them to follow. He stepped briskly off the deck and straight to the briefing room where all his officers and NCOs were gathered. He was immediately drawn to the sight of Eleanor. He’d not seen her in weeks due to her medical leave, and he could do nothing but admire her, even in her BDUs.