In Every Clime and Place by Patrick LeClerc Read Free Book Online

airlock. We detour off, collect the social workers, then meet up at the airlock. If we get in trouble, we hole up and call for help. The rest of the platoon will come make a hole and we’ll fight out and link up.”
    “Sounds like a fucking blast,” I muttered. “When do we shove off?”

Chapter 4
14 NOV 2075
    SUNFLOWER ONE, ASTEROID BELT PATROL
    Our guide was a lance corporal named Nolan. He looked thrilled to have traded his shotgun for a real rifle. I sympathized with the poor guy. Embassy duty is shit work, unless you get assigned to the embassy in Monaco overlooking the nude beaches. Everyplace else sucks. You spend your days surrounded by people who probably want to kill you, and all you can do is smile politely and play tin soldier while you baby-sit ambassadors who got the job by being too incompetent for service in Washington, or by giving enough money to the right candidate.
    Nolan was happy to be playing Marine again.
    He led us along some nasty narrow alleys, skirting the worst of the unrest. We came on a corporate outpost and he and Gunny Taylor went up to chat with the guards while we stood around and looked menacing.
    “What’s your business?” asked the guard sergeant.
    “We have to get to the Heights to evacuate some government personnel that got cut off.”
    “No way, Gomer. Ten of you? You’d get cut up in no time flat and the rebels would have some real rifles. The only teams we have out there are dug in with heavy weapons.”
    Gunny Taylor glared at the zero G rent-a-cop. I saw the man wilt a little, but he tried to keep up a good show.
    “We’re the friggin’ Marine Corps!” the gunny said. “We have a mission, and we’re going to complete it. No ragged-assed, rock-throwing cocksuckers are going to stop my squad!”
    “I’m sorry, sir, but—”
    “Stow it! You want to stop us, go ahead and try. Just leave us an address to send the pieces.” He turned to the rest of us. “Move it out, Marines!”
    The guards knew better than to try to restrain us. We had them very much outgunned. One shouted, “I’ll break the bad news to your Navy boyfriends!”
    Tame stuff. We’ve heard it all before. O’Rourke and Sabatini agreed, for once, replying with the same obscene gesture.
    We moved out. After about ten minutes, Nolan looked at the way ahead and cursed.
    “What’s the problem?” Taylor asked.
    “The road is choked with rubble, Gunny. I don’t want to stray too far, this place is a friggin’ maze.”
    “Just keep on, steady as she goes. Stay alert.”
    Like that was news.
    “Hey-diddle-diddle, straight up the middle,” I grumbled.
    “That was my line, you thievin’ bastard,” O’Rourke smirked.
    We followed Nolan through a road filled with rubble. We had to watch our footing as well as scanning the environment for traps, ambushes or rockslides. If there was a better time to hit us, I didn’t know of it. Nolan had point, followed by Sabatini, O’Rourke, me, Johnson, then Sgt McCray, Doc Roy, the Gunny, and Chan’s team. We tried to maintain some distance between us. O’Rourke slipped on some loose stones ahead of me. I ran to him and caught his arm before he could slide into an open street drain.
    He turned to thank me, then suddenly shoved me aside as the report of a machine gun split the air. I went down on my hands and knees. I looked up and droplets of blood spattered my visor. O’Rourke went down hard.
    “Ambush! Ten o’clock high!” I shouted into the mic as I sprang to O’Rourke’s side. Rounds were smacking the stone all around us, spraying me with fragments. I grabbed the back straps of his web gear and hauled him to cover behind a mound of broken stone. I fired a few rounds one-handed as I dragged, hoping to spoil the enemy’s aim. I saw the gunner about fifty meters away, and tried to get my sights on him, when I heard the snap of Sabatini’s rifle from up the trail. The machine gunner’s head lurched back, spouting gore.
    I got O’Rourke behind the