right now. But certain equipment has to be under control of Naval personnel, including Marines. Basically, you can only legally use big guns from Navy or Coast Guard ships if you’re under Federal controlling legal authority. It’s a technicality of a regulation they’re not willing to overlook and I understand why and agree. Goes back to the Treaty of Westphalia. That’s not the only reason I’d like you to be an officer, but it’s one of them. Other than that, there’s no real difference. You don’t have to respond now. Contact Kuzma one way or the other. Any major questions?”
“Not right now,” Sophia said. “I can think on it?”
“You can think on it,” Steve said.
“Okay, I’ll think on it,” Sophia said. “No worries, Da. And take care of yourself.”
“You too. Wolf, out.”
“ Alexandria , I think we’re done,” Sophia said.
“Roger, No Tan Lines . Be advised… You have a cabin cruiser sixteen miles south of your position. Don’t know if you want to check it out.”
“Roger, Alexandria ,” Sophia said, starting up the engine. “We’ll go check it. Did you visual?”
“Roger. No infecteds on deck. We have several other sierras in the area we’re tracking including some lifeboats and life rafts.”
“And they tell us now ?” Paula said.
“Might have just got on station,” Sophia said. “Might have been a change with Da getting promoted. Alexandria , got coordinates on that boat?”
“I wonder if this means… No, they wouldn’t … ”
* * *
“Gunny,” Steve said, waving to a chair. “How you doing?”
“Ready to rock and roll, sir,” Sands said, sitting down carefully.
“Bullshit,” Steve said. “I won’t tell you you can’t work for a few days, but you’re not going to be running around the bowels of the Iwo for now. Not until you’re fit. There’s too damned much gear to carry. We made that mistake with Hooch and he was in better shape than you are. You need to put on some pounds, first.”
“And you, sir?” the Gunny asked, looking over at Fontana, who was looking… closed.
“Alas, I think my days of clearing ships is done,” Steve said, waving at his desk. “I’m conning a desk for a while. Isham has agreed to take a lieutenancy, temporary like mine, so he can tell Navy people where to get off. He’s a bit of an asshole, but he’s a competent one. I’ll keep him as my Chief of Staff for now. But, no, I’m not going to be clearing ships. Some of the Marines we found are fairly hail and they can continue the clearance ops. But that gets to the point of this meeting… ” Steve leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment.
“I understand you’ve met my daughter, Faith, Gunny?”
“Oh,” Sands said, his face cracking into a slight smile. “That’s the agenda, sir? Yes, sir, I have. She and Staff Sergeant Fontana cracked my compartment, sir. And, yes, sir, I think she’d make a fine Marine, sir. Even a fine Marine officer, sir. In about five years, sir.”
“Then there’s an issue,” Steve said. “Because tomorrow, Faith will be the team leader for the first group of Marines to reboard the Iwo . We’re going to be using it mostly as a training exercise. She will also be overseeing their kitting up. Because she knows very little, at all, except the best ways to clear zombies.”
“Pardon, sir,” Sands said. “Not Staff Sergeant Fontana?”
“ Lieutenant Fontana will be managing the preparations for the assault, Gunny,” Steve said. “And along with Lieutenant Volpe he will be managing the clearance operation as a forward officer. Miss Smith along with Lance Corporal Hocieniec will be training the Marines on the Wolf Way of clearance. It’s like the Marine way but… different.
“This is a Marine thing. A temporary, out-of-the-blue, Navy Captain is not going to tell a Marine Gunny who should and should not be a Marine. What the Captain is going to do is allow the Gunny a week to think about his
“Not right now,” Sophia said. “I can think on it?”
“You can think on it,” Steve said.
“Okay, I’ll think on it,” Sophia said. “No worries, Da. And take care of yourself.”
“You too. Wolf, out.”
“ Alexandria , I think we’re done,” Sophia said.
“Roger, No Tan Lines . Be advised… You have a cabin cruiser sixteen miles south of your position. Don’t know if you want to check it out.”
“Roger, Alexandria ,” Sophia said, starting up the engine. “We’ll go check it. Did you visual?”
“Roger. No infecteds on deck. We have several other sierras in the area we’re tracking including some lifeboats and life rafts.”
“And they tell us now ?” Paula said.
“Might have just got on station,” Sophia said. “Might have been a change with Da getting promoted. Alexandria , got coordinates on that boat?”
“I wonder if this means… No, they wouldn’t … ”
* * *
“Gunny,” Steve said, waving to a chair. “How you doing?”
“Ready to rock and roll, sir,” Sands said, sitting down carefully.
“Bullshit,” Steve said. “I won’t tell you you can’t work for a few days, but you’re not going to be running around the bowels of the Iwo for now. Not until you’re fit. There’s too damned much gear to carry. We made that mistake with Hooch and he was in better shape than you are. You need to put on some pounds, first.”
“And you, sir?” the Gunny asked, looking over at Fontana, who was looking… closed.
“Alas, I think my days of clearing ships is done,” Steve said, waving at his desk. “I’m conning a desk for a while. Isham has agreed to take a lieutenancy, temporary like mine, so he can tell Navy people where to get off. He’s a bit of an asshole, but he’s a competent one. I’ll keep him as my Chief of Staff for now. But, no, I’m not going to be clearing ships. Some of the Marines we found are fairly hail and they can continue the clearance ops. But that gets to the point of this meeting… ” Steve leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment.
“I understand you’ve met my daughter, Faith, Gunny?”
“Oh,” Sands said, his face cracking into a slight smile. “That’s the agenda, sir? Yes, sir, I have. She and Staff Sergeant Fontana cracked my compartment, sir. And, yes, sir, I think she’d make a fine Marine, sir. Even a fine Marine officer, sir. In about five years, sir.”
“Then there’s an issue,” Steve said. “Because tomorrow, Faith will be the team leader for the first group of Marines to reboard the Iwo . We’re going to be using it mostly as a training exercise. She will also be overseeing their kitting up. Because she knows very little, at all, except the best ways to clear zombies.”
“Pardon, sir,” Sands said. “Not Staff Sergeant Fontana?”
“ Lieutenant Fontana will be managing the preparations for the assault, Gunny,” Steve said. “And along with Lieutenant Volpe he will be managing the clearance operation as a forward officer. Miss Smith along with Lance Corporal Hocieniec will be training the Marines on the Wolf Way of clearance. It’s like the Marine way but… different.
“This is a Marine thing. A temporary, out-of-the-blue, Navy Captain is not going to tell a Marine Gunny who should and should not be a Marine. What the Captain is going to do is allow the Gunny a week to think about his
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