our choice,” the secretary of Defense said. “What the Times has been able to piece together about the Blade is coming out in the morning edition. What they don't know, though, is that we effectively lost the Blade and got a new one from the Hexosehr. They did, however, piece together the 'helicopter crash' with the first mission and speculate on casualties from the second. They don't know about the Dreen. Bill, you had some conversation with Robin. I pulled the transcript when I got the news. Anything you want to add?”
“I tried to throw him off-scent, slightly, sir,” Weaver said. “Best I could do. I could tell he knew about the Blade, pretty solidly, and that we'd run into something that killed Marines. He didn't mention the scientific losses or the SF or the Cheerick or the last mission's results. But my contact report stated that he was going to do a piece on the Blade.”
“They apparently got some video from our Russian friends,” the secretary of Defense said. “I'm sure the Russians will be running that one down. But this changes . . . Well, it changes everything. Commandant, I want Lieutenant Bergstresser available for Dog and Pony.”
“Yes, sir,” the commandant said. “I'll inform his CO.”
“Ditto Spectre and you, Bill. Anyone else you'd suggest? Any of you?”
Weaver had a suggestion but given his rocky position with the CO he wasn't about to bring it up.
“That linguist,” Admiral Townsend said. “Miss Moon. Good looking, obviously articulate. And I've seen the way that she looked in the documentary. I especially loved the parts where she was repairing the ship on the last mission. Painted every steam pipe in the ship? That took determination, by God. It puts a human face on the whole thing. Cute lady who talks to strange aliens and still wields a wrench when she has to. What do you think, Captain Weaver?”
“Sounds good, sir,” Bill said, trying not to sound strangled. “She's going to need a heads up, though. First, she'll need at least ten minutes to panic, then a day to do her hair. She might have to go home to see her usual stylist.”
“We need to centralize this,” the SecDef said. “Get all the people down here in DC. I know you're preparing for deployment, but this takes precedence. Get to work on this tonight.” The video of the SecDef cut off leaving only the commandant and the CAO.
“I'll order up Bergstresser and, hell, one of the enlisted,” the commandant said. “People always like junior enlisted for this sort of thing. I'm sort of shamed to say I don't know the Marine players all that well. Captain Weaver?”
“Lurch, sir?” Bill replied. As well hung for a sheep and all that. “That is, Sergeant Lyle? The guy who was injured in an accident and worked his way back to line. He's not all that articulate, but . . .”
“Good call,” the commandant said, nodding. “Good human interest angle. The first sergeant's been on both missions, what's your read on him?”
“First Sergeant Powell is one of those rare NCO's that really could take over as a commander, sir,” Bill replied. “Smart as a whip intellectually—hell, he's got a degree from the Sorbonne—good common sense, experienced. But the company's preparing for deployment. Dragging him away may interfere.”
“If the company commander can't do without his first sergeant for a few days, I need to find a new CO,” the commandant said. “Sergeant Lyle, Lieutenant Bergstresser and First Sergeant Powell. Got it. Good line-up. I'm done. Out here.”
“Since everyone else is asking,” the CAO said, chuckling.
“Well, you've got myself and Miriam, sir,” Bill replied. “Admittedly, Miriam's from the civilian science side. If you want enlisted personnel . . .” Bill paused and thought about that, running through the list and then chuckling.
“Something funny, Captain?” the CAO asked.
“Just imagining the COB being interviewed, sir,” Bill replied. “ 'So you are the
“I tried to throw him off-scent, slightly, sir,” Weaver said. “Best I could do. I could tell he knew about the Blade, pretty solidly, and that we'd run into something that killed Marines. He didn't mention the scientific losses or the SF or the Cheerick or the last mission's results. But my contact report stated that he was going to do a piece on the Blade.”
“They apparently got some video from our Russian friends,” the secretary of Defense said. “I'm sure the Russians will be running that one down. But this changes . . . Well, it changes everything. Commandant, I want Lieutenant Bergstresser available for Dog and Pony.”
“Yes, sir,” the commandant said. “I'll inform his CO.”
“Ditto Spectre and you, Bill. Anyone else you'd suggest? Any of you?”
Weaver had a suggestion but given his rocky position with the CO he wasn't about to bring it up.
“That linguist,” Admiral Townsend said. “Miss Moon. Good looking, obviously articulate. And I've seen the way that she looked in the documentary. I especially loved the parts where she was repairing the ship on the last mission. Painted every steam pipe in the ship? That took determination, by God. It puts a human face on the whole thing. Cute lady who talks to strange aliens and still wields a wrench when she has to. What do you think, Captain Weaver?”
“Sounds good, sir,” Bill said, trying not to sound strangled. “She's going to need a heads up, though. First, she'll need at least ten minutes to panic, then a day to do her hair. She might have to go home to see her usual stylist.”
“We need to centralize this,” the SecDef said. “Get all the people down here in DC. I know you're preparing for deployment, but this takes precedence. Get to work on this tonight.” The video of the SecDef cut off leaving only the commandant and the CAO.
“I'll order up Bergstresser and, hell, one of the enlisted,” the commandant said. “People always like junior enlisted for this sort of thing. I'm sort of shamed to say I don't know the Marine players all that well. Captain Weaver?”
“Lurch, sir?” Bill replied. As well hung for a sheep and all that. “That is, Sergeant Lyle? The guy who was injured in an accident and worked his way back to line. He's not all that articulate, but . . .”
“Good call,” the commandant said, nodding. “Good human interest angle. The first sergeant's been on both missions, what's your read on him?”
“First Sergeant Powell is one of those rare NCO's that really could take over as a commander, sir,” Bill replied. “Smart as a whip intellectually—hell, he's got a degree from the Sorbonne—good common sense, experienced. But the company's preparing for deployment. Dragging him away may interfere.”
“If the company commander can't do without his first sergeant for a few days, I need to find a new CO,” the commandant said. “Sergeant Lyle, Lieutenant Bergstresser and First Sergeant Powell. Got it. Good line-up. I'm done. Out here.”
“Since everyone else is asking,” the CAO said, chuckling.
“Well, you've got myself and Miriam, sir,” Bill replied. “Admittedly, Miriam's from the civilian science side. If you want enlisted personnel . . .” Bill paused and thought about that, running through the list and then chuckling.
“Something funny, Captain?” the CAO asked.
“Just imagining the COB being interviewed, sir,” Bill replied. “ 'So you are the
Similar Books
