Corpsman by Jonathan P. Brazee Page A

was the only avenue of approach for any significant armor force. 
    Not that the Marines expected any.  The Josh would be able to spot any armored movement from up in orbit long before it could reach the city, but having the PICS Marines was probably more of a message.  Still, the six should give anyone, not just an armored column, second thoughts about hitting them.
    Liege wasn’t even sure who was inside that monstrosity.  She knew that Third Platoon’s Third Squad, led by Sergeant diTora, was supporting them, but she couldn’t tell who was in which PICS.  She couldn’t even pull up their bios on her display, which seemed asinine.  Her combat AI couldn’t interface with the PICS hub.
    Whoever was inside the PICS, he or she hadn’t moved in at least ten minutes.  Liege wondered if the Marine was napping, or even if that was possible. 
    The PICS were very high-tech pieces of equipment, and their combat AIs had significant medical capabilities.  A PICS platoon was only assigned one corpsman, unlike a rifle platoon’s three, so Liege knew her chances of being assigned to a PICS platoon were minimal, especially considering her lack of combat experience.  Still, the thought of running around like some super-hero had a significant amount of allure.
    “You here with us, Doc?” Corporal Wheng asked.
    Liege shook her head and came back to reality, embarrassed to be called out by the team leader.  The fire team was in the on-deck position, ready to move into the checkpoint itself in another few minutes.  But that didn’t mean they could relax.  Standing 20 meters back, they were supposed to be observing the big picture, looking for anything out of the ordinary that Third might miss.
    And it wasn’t as if Third was alone.  There were both svermin and—
    Svea and Tinos, or jericks , she reminded herself. 
    “Svermin” and “Arse-tins” were unauthorized nicknames for the two sides, and using the terms could now result in some unwelcomed extra duty.
    There were both Svea and Tino police teams at the checkpoint.  They’d both be taking potshots at each other after they’d got off duty, but for the moment, they were forced to play nice.  Still, Liege thought they were barely tolerating each other’s presence, even if they were nominally on the same police force.
    Add the six PICS Marines and a sniper team on angel duty, and Liege thought the checkpoint was pretty secure.  A long line of private hovers and trucks waited to be checked through into the city.  Every 30 minutes, the northbound line would be blocked and southbound traffic would be allowed to pass through.
    Liege focused back on the checkpoint.  She looked over the waiting drivers, trying to spot something that would alert her, but not knowing what that might be.  The drivers looked either resigned or peeved, and Liege could understand both emotions.  Some of them might have driven 12 or more hours, and now, just a few kilometers from home, they had to sit and wait.
    Each police team checked alternating vehicles, so two vehicles were being inspected at once.  After the Svea police team waved through a red Hyundai Vortex, the corporal in charge of the team called the other five of them to the side of the road.
    “What’s going on, Corporal Olmstead?” Sergeant Vinter asked, walking over.  “We’ve got a lot of vehicles to get through.”
    Corporal Wheng tilted his head at the other three in the fire team, indicating that they should follow him as he went to back up the squad leader.
    “Nothing, Sergeant.  I’m getting a recall back to the station is all.  Another team will be out here in a few moments to take our place.”
    “So you should be waiting until they arrive.  We can’t slow down the inspections.”
    The Svea police corporal shrugged, saying, “You know orders, sergeant.  It should only be a few minutes.”
    The Tino team stopped their inspection, looking at each other with concern.
    “Keep inspecting, Olmstead,”