Free Stone Blade by James Cox Page A

shellacking. Orbital is mostly gone. From what I heard, the Corpsies managed a solid ambush while our dainty high friends were polishing their pizzles. They're fighting like hades topside and hoping to get cans down for us before artie starves.”
    Micah was incredulous!
    “What about high reserve? Did you even bring one?”
    Rigby smiled at this. “HighCom doesn't ask my opinion, Micah. I'd give them an earful if they did.” She winked.
    “Are we up for call tonight?”
    “Flames no! We're just in from a hotzone. As soon as the blackwater boys get window we're gone.”
    “Polar.” Micah lay back and stretched out.
    “What,” said Rigby, “I'm boring?”
    “Long day.”
    Rigby chuckled at this. She crushed out the 'stick and lay beside him.
    “Same here.”
    ***
    A hand shook Micah to wakefulness. Explosions boomed in the distance and Micah woke with his rifle ready.
    “Easy, Stone,” said Scully, “We got window on a transport. Forty-five and you better be ready. Miss this one and we're not turning around!”
    Micah shook his head. For the first time in a long time the nightmares returned. Rigby roused herself but said nothing.
    “Artie's coming,” said someone to Micah's right, “I hope those cans are hot.”
    Micah knew the League artillery was down to its very last round. The Corpsies probably had that figured and decided to move in. They tried it several times before but the artillerists were faking then; they peppered the Consortium forces after a few got in range. Rumor had ten minutes on the transports but Micah would believe when they grounded.
    The transports landed with a roar. The League gunners dropped their last rounds for maximum chaos and the light cannon on the transports opened up. Despite everything Micah thought would go wrong the soldiers boarded with no confusion at all.
    The Corpsies tried to assemble a charge but counterfire from the transports stopped it before it started. Micah heard Rigby and Scully joking about the transport lightening its load so they could board.
    “No need for ammo in orbit,” chuckled Scully, “This old can'll drub 'em good!”
    Strapped in and secure, Micah just managed to wriggle into a comfortable position when they launched. Once the acceleration stopped Micah leaned back and went to sleep.
    Docking maneuvers woke Micah. Once the transport docked the lights brightened and the troopies started unstrapping. Micah stepped out onto a large, cavernous and crowded deck. He counted no less than six transports with hints of even more beyond his view. Micah followed the crowd through a pressure seal and to a terminal. He pressed his hand against the pad and waited. It flashed red, of course.
    “This way, soldier.”
    Micah followed the rating down a short corridor to an office filled with a dozen others plus a League clerk. Micah noticed several Commonwealth crunchies but none from the 113th. When they spied him they pointedly ignored him. Typical.
    “Name and tag, please,” said the clerk.
    Micah recited it along with the League code he'd been issued.
    The clerk entered the data. His terminal beeped and spat out a datachip. 
    “Room and supply,” said the clerk, “Please check your weapons at the armory.”
    “Thank you, sir.”
    The clerk grinned. “No need to sir me, sir. I work for my pay.”
    Micah returned the grin and gave him a salute for it.
    ***
    Settled in a barracks without many others there Micah read his chip along with the general information the terminal suggested. This troopship was bound for Zelve Station, a depot not close to Caustik. From there he could outsystem to Caustik but it would take a while. On the polar side, though, he'd have priority on those same departing ships.
    Micah puzzled out the League query system and inquired about his unit, then Sanders, then the Caustik forces in general. He found little good news. Not many of the 113th sent would return. Sanders was bound for a med station a lot closer to Caustik.
    Another