Free Ghost Soldiers by Michael G. Thomas Page B

with.”
    Gun shook his head.
    “No. High Command is sending a fleet to the Byotai border, in case the Anicinàbe League decides to cross over. If they do, then our treaty with the Byotai will come into effect.”
    “And it will be war,” Khan added.
    Gun nodded.
    "I don't think even the Anicinàbe are that stupid. If they are smart, they will stay in the sector and keep away from the homeworld. It leaves us looking impotent and stupid. If they come too close, well, we get to take our gloves off. And we all know how that will end."
    A secpad hummed on Gun’s flank, and he reached down to grab it. Unlike the standard models, this one had been heavily upgraded with thicker edges, a rubberised protective layer, and most important of all, a retina-based control system. For anybody else this might have been considered a gimmick, but not to Gun. His hands were bigger than most, so touch control was out of the question. He scanned a few lines and something quickly changed about Gun’s expression. He went from being happy to something much more serious. Finally, he looked past Spartan, as though he expected to see somebody else, but then leaned in so only Khan and Spartan could hear him.
    “Don’t get too comfortable. Looks like we’ve got something already.”
    He leaned back, noticing the look of confusion on their faces.
    “What?” Spartan asked, “We’ve just got back from a major combat operation. The Maverick suits need a lot of work, and we lost a good half of our Grunts. They might do the job, but the latency is killing us out there. Like I said, they can support commanders in the field, but not replace them. We need a full debriefing, and the two platoons we took are going to need more than a little R&R.”
    Gun had already turned to walk away and simply called out to them.
    “I need to speak with High Command. Get your senior officers to the briefing room in ten minutes. I’ve got something for you, and I think you’re going to like it.”
    Spartan looked to Khan who was still shaking his head.
    “Something already? Is he crazy? One ship is still not finished, and Titan is still being repaired. The second batch is not even structurally complete.”
    Khan nodded quickly in agreement.
    Exactly. We’re not even at a quarter-strength yet. Three platoons, that’s it, Spartan.”
    Spartan watched Gun move further away, and he turned back and shouted at them.
    “Spartan, I need you with me. Khan, get the others. I need whatever can fly in the air, and fast.”
    He then continued onwards and vanished around the distant corner. Spartan looked back to Khan and placed one hand on his friend’s arm. Gun shouted for him, even though he was now well out of sight.
    “Gun doesn’t mess around. Get the seniors officers assembled, and meet me there in five minutes.”
    Khan looked surprised.
    “You think he’s serious?”
    Spartan lifted an eyebrow.
    “He’s always serious, and if he wants the officers in a briefing in ten minutes, I’d suggest it is damned serious. Get me the officers from 1st Company, and round up all the senior officers from Euryale. Looks like we are going to have work to do.”
    Khan chuckled.
    “They won’t like that. Most of them are heading off for some expected R&R.”
    Spartan scowled, but not at Khan, merely in response to the expected attitude.
    “Remember the war, my friend. The enemy doesn’t wait until our bellies are full and our beds are warm.”
    Khan grinned.
    “Isn’t that the truth?”

    * * *

    Gun waited in the centre of the circular room while the last of officers shuffled inside. Some were still straightening their uniforms, and at least one had forgotten his tunic. It was a rushed assembly, and Gun let it go, for now.
    “Khan?”
    Several of the officers looked about, and one muttered something before Spartan moved closer to him. Nobody could hear him speak, but Gun nodded and seemed to accept whatever he’d heard. As they waited, Spartan held up his personal secpad