Free Stone Blade by James Cox

you!”
    Micah looked at the line and the ones about to leave.
    “Sir, they need me here. I'm up and I can fight!”
    The medic visibly considered this.
    “Fine, soldier. You die and I'll pizzle on your grave.”
    Micah saluted that. The League really did need him on the line.
    Micah found the third platoon guarding the flank from whence he'd come. Fortunately the League had enough artillery - barely in range - to keep the armor at bay. After a brief yet intense questioning Micah found himself tucked into high ground.
    “Spot and snipe, Stone,” said Sergeant Scully, an NCO Micah immediately liked, “Call it in and keep 'em from killing us before it gets here.”
    “Right, Sarge,” said Micah.
    ***
    By the time dusk fell Micah knew they were in trouble. He dutifully called his fire missions and they increased in number at an impressive rate. So had missions outside his area. He knew the Corpsies weren't taking all those casualties, just pulling artie and making the League waste ammo. Their plan worked.
    “Our situation is this,” said Dalion over the command freq, “Orbital bombardment has been delayed. Our orders are to fall back and await transport. Artie's getting hungry and the Corpses probably know it. We'll be falling back to Point Singer and meeting with other divisions there. Your objective is Point Singer. First, Third and Fourth platoons will punch a hole and the rest will guard it. Do not let the fight slow you!” Dalion paused a moment. “Good luck, ladies and gentlemen.”
    Micah almost spat with disgust! They'd expended most of their ammo - and artillery, according to Dalion - holding useless ground and now they'd retreat! Even with the few Dalion had they could at least make a dent in one of the Corpse strongpoints. They'd take casualties, certainly, but they'd take the Corpse fire base too!
    “Mount up, ladies,” said Scully, “You have a good eye, Stone. Take point. Sing out if you see something.”
    “Right!”
    The troopies moved aside and fixed their position on Micah's. One of them, a lady with nice eyes, gave him a wink.
    “Move out,” barked Scully.
    Micah crouched and advanced, grounded and scanned. His hud showed the League troopies around him. He popped a Flame and concentrated on his nightvee. 
    Targets! Micah called coordinates and opened fire. He dropped and rolled and his world narrowed to his targets and his hud. The comm noised up but Micah ignored it. Staying alive took priority!
    After an eternity of actinic streaks slashing the darkness Micah crossed into Point Singer. Third Platoon had taken no casualties nor had any other trooper following Micah. He topped a berm and saw League troops with semis covering him. Relief washed through him as Scully and the others from the Third joined him.
    “Good work, Stone,” smiled the sergeant, “Fall back to HQ. We probably have some rats there.”
    Micah reported to a faceless man at a battlecomp. The rating nodded and motioned him along. Not far away another rating handed out ration packs and hot chog. Micah accepted gladly and searched for the rest of the Third.
    “Hi, soldier.”
    Micah looked up. The lady with the nice eyes sat down beside him. When she removed her helmet Micah discovered she had nice hair, too.
    “Rigby, Tatiana. League Occupation Forces, 1454-slash-15. My friends call me Tashi.”
    “Stone, Micah J. 113 TAS, Commonwealth of Caustik. Micah.”
    Rigby smiled and Micah returned it. Micah found League rations and chog quite tasty. Especially so with pleasant company. After they finished eating Rigby dug out a battered pack of drugsticks, offered Micah one and lit one for herself.
    “You wanted to take out those Corpses, didn't you?”
    “Yeah! I don't see why we didn't. Even without the wounded we could've taken out the fire base. I know they had interlock support but that can be used against 'em! We could've done a lot before orbital got here!”
    Rigby shrugged. “I got a flash for you, pal. We took a