Free Commandant (The United Federation Marine Corps Book 8) by Jonathan P. Brazee Page B

the revolution, I mean evolution , sorry about that.  And we need you to take the lead on this.  The Council is balking despite some heavy-handed threats from the Brotherhood, saying that you have not agreed yet.”
    “What, they think we’ll interdict Earth?”  Tomtom asked with a snort.
    Major Pohlmeyer said nothing, but the expression on his face was a giveaway.
    “They’re saying that?” Bert asked incredulously.
    “Let’s just say that they are using that threat as a reason not to sign any binding agreement to that effect,” the major said.
    “But—” Tomtom started only to be cut off when Ryck held up his hand, palm out.
    “It’s ridiculous and pure Council gamesmanship, but we would never use them, so I don’t have any problem with it.  Major, give me what you want, and I’ll sign.  I don’t want to waste any more time on this sideshow.”
    The major smiled and held out a docpad.  Unlike the Articles of Assumption, this was not something that needed to be in a physical form.  Ryck took two minutes to read over the document.  He knew that he should give it to the SJA to review, but he didn’t want to waste any more time on something that would never happen anyway.  He signed and scanned, and it was done.
    “With that out of the way,” the major said, bringing up something on his PA, “I’d like to confirm just who has declared for the provisional government.  If I may?” he asked, pointing to the screen on the wall just past the end of the table.
    Prince reached under to toggle the screen open, and the major’s list popped up with all the Federation planets and military units.  They were listed in four columns:  Loyalist, Provisional Government, Undeclared, and Neutral.
    Ryck couldn’t help but grimace at the lists.  The Loyalist list was the largest, with 128 planets and major stations as compared to 87 planets and stations declaring for the provisional government.  Most of the planets, though, to be blunt, would have no vital impact on the conflict one way or the other.
    The final disposition of the naval forces, which did have the potential to turn the tide one way or the other, still hadn’t become completely clear, even four days after the Articles of Assumption.  First and Third Fleets, the two largest and most capable, had split largely along geographic lines, with First, which was headquartered at Station One in Earth orbit, supporting the Council and Third with the provisional government.  Second had declared support for the Council, and Fourth had issued a strong condemnation of the schism and vowed to remain neutral, focusing on their task to defend the Federation from a possible change of strategy from the Klethos.  But while the commanders had issued statements, individual ships and forces had been breaking away and making treks to join whichever side they felt was right.  Currently, that meant 410 naval combatants supported the Council while only 283 were for the provisional government, but those numbers constantly shifted as individual ships broke away from their fleets and showed up with either force.
    Even the ground forces favored the old government.  Some 6,000,000-plus FCDC troops and, to Ryck’s chagrin, 69,212 Marines declared their loyalty to the Council. Facing them, on the provisional government side, were about 35,000 FCDC troops, and the bulk of the half-a-million-strong Marine Corps.
    The major’s list showed 36 planets as still undeclared, and under the neutral column were 26 planets and 238 ships.  One of those 36 planets was Ellison, which frankly made Ryck’s blood boil.
    Just the evening before, Ryck had called the president of Ellison to plead for the planet’s inclusion.  Ellison, with 12 billion people, would easily be the largest planet from a population standpoint to declare for the provisional government.  But while the president expressed his sincere gratitude for Ryck’s actions in saving the planet, he said his people were done