Free Captain (The United Federation Marine Corps Book 4) by Jonathan P. Brazee

city, came into view.  Once again, there was nothing much to make it stand out.  That didn’t quell the good spirits, though.  Several of the Marines and crew had been on Sierra Dorado before on Marine Day, and their stories had worked to amp them all up.
    The shuttle came in for a smooth landing, and they quickly debarked.  A local official was waiting right outside with an electric tram of some sort, and he ushered them on board as the shuttle took off to return to the ship and pick up its next load.
    “Welcome to Sierra Dorado,” the young man said with way too much cheerfulness.  “I’m Greg Sanduski with the mayor’s office.  I’ll be escorting you to Polk Hall where the ceremony will be taking place.  There will be a small buffet set up for you, and as we still have almost two hours, please feel free to help yourselves.  If you need anything, I’m your man, so don’t hesitate to ask.”
    Sierra Dorado was an Admin 1 planet where other Federation citizens merely got scanned upon entry, but with Greg as their guardian, they even bypassed this minor formality, with the tram operator driving around the terminal.
    As they pulled in front of the terminal, the enlisted men from a previous shuttle were coming out the main entrance.  Among the rest of the people, there were two lines of locals.  In front of one line was an LED sign with a red “Married” being displayed.  In front of the other line, the sign was a green “Single.”
    “Saint Pete’s nose!” Donte exclaimed.  “Look at them!”
    They’d all been briefed on the tradition, of course, but seeing it in action had far more impact.
    In the married line, men, women, and family groups waited to be paired up with married sailors and Marines.  After the ceremony, they would adopt the servicemen, be their tour guides, and offer them a bed at their homes. 
    Every man on the shuttle had his eyes locked on the single line.  The women standing in the line to be paired with their sailor or Marine were dressed to kill.  Some had on traditional Mexican costumes, some had on more modern clothes.  But from the tram’s vantage point, all looked amazing.  What might happen after the “hostess” showed the men around was up to them, but those who had been there before claimed that for quite a few of the newly formed couples, the pairing would last beyond the afternoon’s celebration and evening.  Gunny Heija in Alpha claimed that when he was here four years prior, seven marriages resulted.
    “That’s Brubaker!  He’s one of mine!” Donte said in awe as the next Marine, a young PFC, was ushered up to meet his hostesses, a stunning brunette in high heels and a rather short skirt.  “He’s as shy as they come!”
    “Doesn’t look too shy now,” Preston observed.  “Look at that shit-eating grin.”
    “Man, this isn’t fair.  Why do the men get all the fun?” Donte said.
    “That’s because we’re officers, far above the primal need for carnal pleasures,” Frank said.
    “Speak for yourself, Frank.  I need me my carnal pleasures,” Donte replied.
    Then the tram eased out on the main road and the welcome lines were lost to view.  Ryck didn’t mind their bypassing the pairing up.  He wouldn’t mind meeting a local family, but he figured he would be kept pretty busy for the next three days.
    One lane of the road seemed to be kept clear of traffic.  The tram glided along, barely making a sound.  Other vehicles were in the remaining lanes, but their lane remained clear of other traffic.  Within five minutes, they were pulling into the concert hall where the ceremony would take place. 
    Polk Hall was pretty impressive.   The Aztec influence was evident, but it was only influence.  This was not Chichen Itza transported to Sierra Dorado.  As they walked through the main entry, they left the stone exterior for a shining expanse of marble and metal.  Two winding staircases led to the upper seating section of the concert hall