only been on board a few hours. Or was it longer? She shook her head, thinking that it was going to be a long transport to wherever it was they were going. Wherever that was, she was going to have to do a dirt drop when she got there. That would mean she would have to stuff her command into combat armor, strap onto skid plates, jump out hatchways and slide through the atmosphere of a hostile planet to engage an enemy. She knew that much about her mission. She may not know where or when, but putting combat boots on the ground was what APES did.
Reaching the main hatchway, Misha saw the diminutive form of the young spacer from the station’s principal gate. She brushed past the AMSF main hatch guard and greeted the girl.
“Brianna. Thank you for taking on this little task for me. I appreciate it.”
Brianna smiled, “It’s my pleasure, ma’am. I mean, sir. I am sorry it took me so long, but I had to wait until I got off duty to get to the shops.”
Misha smiled back. “Did you have any trouble finding what I need?”
“No, sir. Only…” The girl’s voice trailed off.
“Only what, Brianna? I won’t bite your head off.”
“I found what you asked for, but I think it was probably a bit more expensive than we thought. Um, I kind of took a hit in my savings account getting it for you. I’ve never bought anything like it before. I hope I did okay.”
“Hand me your glass-pack.” Misha said. She took the device from the girl and tapped the two glass-packs together making a cross connection. Whistling through her teeth, she said, “You are right, Brianna. This is a bit more expensive than I thought, too. Well, never mind, you get what you pay for. And a girl's gotta have what a girl's gotta have.” She punched in the financial codes to transfer funds from her account to Brianna’s. She didn't mention the extra ten percent she authorized for her time and trouble. Favors for friends were one thing, but she did not want to overstep bounds with someone she just met.
Brianna said, “Third McPherson, may I ask you a question?”
“Of course ,” Misha handed the girl’s glass-pack back. “Only we are not on duty now and since I had you running all over the station on personal errands for me, why don’t you call me Misha. All of my other friends do. Ask away.”
“Yes, sir. How do I get to be an APE?”
“Good question. I can see you have been thinking about it. Well, finish your four years in the AMSF. That is first.” Misha went on to explain to the girl how all APES must complete at least four years with another military or paramilitary service: the Allied Mobile Space Force, the Allied Marshal Service and even some planetary ground forces or police forces from some larger cities qualified.
APES service was strictly voluntary. A person could do what APES do if they could pass the mental and physical requirements of another service. What the APES did was combat; wherever and whenever called upon to do so by the Allied Systems. Every APE fought from The Sixth-Level Commander John Cochran down to the newest rookie. In the APES, most combat training was on-the-job training. You became a veteran if you survived. If you didn’t survive, the APES would send a letter home to your family with an insurance settlement check.
All APES maintained secondary and sometimes tertiary duty qualifications. The design of each squad was to be self-contained and self-supporting; having their own medical staff (medic, doctor or psychiatrist), cook, skid plate expert, quartermaster (scrounger), armor repair technician, records specialist, weapons technician, expendables (ammunition) supply clerk, general supplies clerk, power specialist and intelligence/linguist. All commanders require secondary duty qualifications outside of the command structure. A fifth-level commander might also be a general supplies clerk and thus functionally report to the quartermaster, the cook, or any other position depending on the situation. Many
Reaching the main hatchway, Misha saw the diminutive form of the young spacer from the station’s principal gate. She brushed past the AMSF main hatch guard and greeted the girl.
“Brianna. Thank you for taking on this little task for me. I appreciate it.”
Brianna smiled, “It’s my pleasure, ma’am. I mean, sir. I am sorry it took me so long, but I had to wait until I got off duty to get to the shops.”
Misha smiled back. “Did you have any trouble finding what I need?”
“No, sir. Only…” The girl’s voice trailed off.
“Only what, Brianna? I won’t bite your head off.”
“I found what you asked for, but I think it was probably a bit more expensive than we thought. Um, I kind of took a hit in my savings account getting it for you. I’ve never bought anything like it before. I hope I did okay.”
“Hand me your glass-pack.” Misha said. She took the device from the girl and tapped the two glass-packs together making a cross connection. Whistling through her teeth, she said, “You are right, Brianna. This is a bit more expensive than I thought, too. Well, never mind, you get what you pay for. And a girl's gotta have what a girl's gotta have.” She punched in the financial codes to transfer funds from her account to Brianna’s. She didn't mention the extra ten percent she authorized for her time and trouble. Favors for friends were one thing, but she did not want to overstep bounds with someone she just met.
Brianna said, “Third McPherson, may I ask you a question?”
“Of course ,” Misha handed the girl’s glass-pack back. “Only we are not on duty now and since I had you running all over the station on personal errands for me, why don’t you call me Misha. All of my other friends do. Ask away.”
“Yes, sir. How do I get to be an APE?”
“Good question. I can see you have been thinking about it. Well, finish your four years in the AMSF. That is first.” Misha went on to explain to the girl how all APES must complete at least four years with another military or paramilitary service: the Allied Mobile Space Force, the Allied Marshal Service and even some planetary ground forces or police forces from some larger cities qualified.
APES service was strictly voluntary. A person could do what APES do if they could pass the mental and physical requirements of another service. What the APES did was combat; wherever and whenever called upon to do so by the Allied Systems. Every APE fought from The Sixth-Level Commander John Cochran down to the newest rookie. In the APES, most combat training was on-the-job training. You became a veteran if you survived. If you didn’t survive, the APES would send a letter home to your family with an insurance settlement check.
All APES maintained secondary and sometimes tertiary duty qualifications. The design of each squad was to be self-contained and self-supporting; having their own medical staff (medic, doctor or psychiatrist), cook, skid plate expert, quartermaster (scrounger), armor repair technician, records specialist, weapons technician, expendables (ammunition) supply clerk, general supplies clerk, power specialist and intelligence/linguist. All commanders require secondary duty qualifications outside of the command structure. A fifth-level commander might also be a general supplies clerk and thus functionally report to the quartermaster, the cook, or any other position depending on the situation. Many
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