Tombstone by Jay Allan Read Free Book Online Page A

pointless gesture among armored troops, but one that was nevertheless
somehow reassuring.
    “I’m good, sir.”  I turned to face him, another bit of
instinctive body language that had dubious utility when suited up.  In non-combat
situations I would have saluted him, but the Corps dispensed with the clunky
salutes among armored troops in battle.  You could barely manage it in a
fighting suit in normal conditions.  No one wanted a casualty because a Marine
was struggling to salute in armor and got his head blown off.  And there was no
point in advertising where the officers were.
    “You’ve come along well, Darius.”  His voice was gentle,
sincere.  “You were nervous as a cat when you first got here, but you are calm
and cool now.  You’ve been great with the new guys, too.  You’re a valued
member of this platoon.  And you ended up with quite a first assignment.  My
first was a cakewalk, a quick raid that was over in six hours.”  He paused for
a second.  “You’ve taken all Tombstone could throw at you.  I’m proud of you.”
    I got a little choked up.  This was the first time anyone
had really told me I was worth anything.  Except my father, of course, but that
doesn’t count.  I already felt at home in the platoon, but this sealed it.  “Thank
you, sir.”  I hesitated, trying, not terribly successfully, not to show too
much emotion in my voice.  “That means a lot.”  I’d have followed that man
anywhere.  I’d drawn the short straw getting posted to Tombstone, but I swear
there wasn’t a better commanding officer in the Corps than the one I got.
    “Carry on.”  He crouched down and started over toward
Private Samms, about 100 meters to my right.  He stopped for a second and
turned back toward me.  “And stay low.”  His head snapped back forward and he
was on his way.  I had a minute or two to think about what he had said and then
all hell broke loose.
    My AI warned me about three seconds before the first
explosions…grenade and mortar fire.  I instinctively crouched lower just before
I was pelted with dirt and shattered chunks of rock.  The grenades weren’t too
bad; we had good cover, and they had to drop one right next to you to cause
serious damage.  The mortars were another matter.  The rounds coming in were
heavier than the usual ones; if one of them hit within twenty meters, you’d
better have good cover between you and it.
    Fortunately for me, they were concentrating the mortar fire
to my right, and the worst thing I had to deal with was a grenade landing
behind me.  It covered me with debris and caused some minor damage to my
external sensors, but all things considered, I got off light.
    We returned fire with grenades, but ours were no more
effective than theirs against troops in heavy cover.  They had the exclusive on
heavier ordnance right now, and it occurred to me that mortars that big were
usually battalion level assets.  The Caliphate called their battalions
tac-forces, and they were about 35% larger than ours.
    “Ok, platoon…”  The lieutenant’s voice, calm but urgent. 
“…we’re looking at a major attack incoming at any time.  I just spoke with the
colonel…”  Holy fuck, I thought…the colonel!  He was the planetary theater
commander…the top dog.  Something big must be brewing.  “…and we’ve got support
inbound.  But we might have to hold out for a while against tough odds.”  He
paused.  “I told him he could count on us.  Now you’re not going to make a liar
out of me, are you Second Platoon?”
    A chorus of “no, sirs” flooded the com, and mine was as loud
as anybody’s.  We were ready, though I figured if the colonel was getting
involved, we were likely in for a rough ride.  I was right.
    Tactically, the ridge was of limited value, not worth a
major fight to hold.  We could have pulled back and actually enhanced our
longer term positions.  We held most of the surrounding hills, and any