Chapter One Hundred and Seventy: Surprises
Haynesville, October 31st, 3035
"So, we get to play host to the Marksman," Lieutenant Dan observed as the many dropships began to ease themselves down. "Any idea of what I should expect?" The lone militia officer asked the younger nobleman beside him.
"I've met Duke Hull, and I've read the reports on the unit, but I haven't met any of the personnel in person as of yet," Adam Steiner shrugged. "Considering that this is the mercenary unit that along with the Eridani Light Horse set the standard for elite units, I would be wary of offending them."
"Well, it look like their CO is coming with some of her command staff now," Dan replied.
"Lieutenant Dan?" A blong woman asked a she left the Excalibur class dropship behind her.
"Yes Ma'am," Dan replied. "That's me."
"I'm Colonel Zoey Carter, commanding officer of the 1st Marksman RCT," She shook the lieutenant's hand. "You've done some damned fine work here, and now we're going to expect some more." Carter said with a small smile on her face. "We're going to be here for a couple of weeks and will be leaving some extra supplies and people here to help you out. I am going to need your people's input on where the supplies are needed the most though."
"We've got a fairly detailed list of the supplies that we need," Dan said. "Medical supplies are what we currently have the most need of though."
"We'll get on it," Carter replied, "We'll offload the extra medical supplies first before we do anything else."
"We don't need to conduct a debrief or anything?" Dan asked, his brow raised in a questioning look.
"Not today," Carter replied. "We've been cooped up on our dropships for over half a year, and if my people don't get to stretch their legs and get some solid rest they'll start causing issues."
"Hey Carter!" A voice called out as two people walked down the dropships ramp. "I've got the logistics sorted out, just let me know what else you might need me to do." A young man said as he walked next to a tall platinum blond woman.
"You okay?" Dan asked Adam, "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Adam Leopold Steiner!" The blond's voice rang out as Adam turned to walk away quickly. "Don't you run, you'll only die tired!"
"Older sibling?" Dan asked the man as he continued to walk calmly down the ramp while the other blond began to chase after Adam.
"Yeah, he's the youngest and dropped off the grid for the past year or so," the other man replied with a shrug. "David Alexander Hull-Kerensky at your service but most people just call me David."
"Lieutenant Dan Rawley," Dan shook the other man's hand. "I take it you're a noble?"
"Son of one actually, but I'm here for the logistics side of things for once instead of being on the front lines," David replied. "Normally I'd have been deployed with the 3rd Kentares Guards, but I'm currently running the logistics corps for the AFFS while they redeploy enough regiments to pin down the Word of Blake."
"David and myself served against the Combine, and now we've been shifted to help liberate and secure this region," Carter said. "Let's get everything unloaded and sorted. David, Lieutenant, you're with me, we've got plans to make for how we move forward from here."
"Should I go rescue my XO?" Dan asked as young Adam Steiner was berated by his older sister.
"Nah, I'd just leave him be for now," David replied with a grin. "He left without even writing a note for Aunt Katrina and Uncle Arthur, he deserves whatever he gets."
"Yeah," Dan winced. "I'll go pick up the pieces after that young woman is done. I might be safer that way."
"You better believe it," David laughed. "Now, let's get down to the brass tacks…"
November 1st, 3035
"You didn't need to yell at me for so long, Elsa," Adam complained to his older sister as he pinched the bridge of his nose in order to stave off a headache.
"You still haven't apologized," the other blond glared at her younger brother. "You're lucky I don't drag you onto one of the Stings that we brought and ship you back to mom."
"I'm sorry," Adam mumbled quietly under his breath.
"Excuse me? I'm afraid I don't speak whatever language that is," Elsa replied with fire in her eyes.
"I'm sorry for making all of you worry," Adam spoke up. "I didn't think about any of that until I was already settled down here, and by then it was too late to do anything because we were under attack."
"Come here you knucklehead," Elsa pulled her brother in for a hug and squeezed him tight. "We just wanted to make sure you were safe. If mom had known that you were serious about not wanting any noble responsibilities she would have done anything to help you out."
"I know that," Adam replied with a sullen expression on his face. "I just wanted to see if I could make it on my own."
"Well, I'd say you've done a pretty good job at that," Elsa smiled. "Now, tell me all about your adventures getting here and what happened after." She settled in for a story.
"Well, I went by the name of Victor Wagner in order to evade the LIC and MIIO while I was travelling," Adam started his story. "Bulk haulers are fairly easy to find work on, and being even slightly talented in any sort of machinery work can get you a spot as a tech on one at least for one trip." Adam took a sip of his scotch and then brought out a cigar that he lit up. "I may have picked up some bad habits along the way, but it was fun. When I would reach one planet I would stay and see the sights before hitching a ride on the next hauler that I could find until I ended up here." Adam puffed on his cigar. "I decided that this place was where I was going to stay for the next couple of years before I moved on and so I joined the militia last year, ended up rising decently up the ranks and then the Word of Blake invaded." Adam shrugged. "I can give you the gritty details later sis, I'm going to go get some rack time before I get called in to do some more paperwork for the LT."
"Alright, but I'm getting the rest of the story out of you later little brother," Elsa dragged her brother in for another hug. "I love you, please don't drop off grid again."
"I love you too sis," Adam squeezed back. "I'll try not to worry all of you like that again."
"Yeah," Elsa let go. "Next time I'm letting Mel come get you, she won't be as nice about it as I will."
"She's not here is she?" Adam looked around fearfully for a second.
"Not yet, she managed to break off a battalion of the 4th Royal Guards to back up the Fedsuns, so she'll be in the neighborhood soon enough,"
"Fuck," Adam swore. "Where do I sign to be on the next offensive?"
"Go talk to your lieutenant Dan and Colonel Carter," Elsa chuckled. "I'm just an attache to David while he runs the logistics."
"Gotta go!" Adam tosse back his tumbler of whiskey before getting up and hurrying out of the bar.
"Little brothers," Elsa shook her head. "Always getting themselves into trouble."