Lieutenant (The United Federation Marine Corps Book 3) by Jonathan P. Brazee Page A

assisting LCpl Vance out of his PICS.  The office itself was in shambles.  The Killington rep was going to be royally pissed.
    Fuck him , Ryck thought.  Take it up with the lawyers after all this is over.
    “Hold on Sgt Ariana,” he passed to his Third Squad leader.  “It’s getting crowded in here, so secure the entrance for now.”
    This was a 180 from Ariana’s previous orders, but flexibility was a key to combat.  Nothing went according to plan, and Ariana had to be able to adjust.
    “What about me?” Joshua asked over the P2P.
    Ryck knew that Joshua was itching to get into the fight.  But he needed his platoon sergeant with Third.
    “Stay with Ariana.  Make sure no one comes up our ass here.  Once I get my bearings, we’re pushing on, and I’m going to need you to bring up the rear,” Ryck passed.
    “Sergeant Timothy, get a probe through the hatch into the lab, then I want you and Sergeant Watson over to me,” he sent on the platoon circuit.
    “Lieutenant Ward wants to know if you still need us,” SSgt Mourka asked him.
    “Hey Donte, Mourka was a big help,” Ryck said after switching to a P2P with the First Platoon commander.  “You need them back now?”
    “Is Vance OK?  Mourka says he’s fine, but he’d say that no matter what,” Donte asked first.
    Ryck looked over at the lance corporal, who was laughing at something one of the other Marines had said.  He looked naked in his longjohns, but he had his Ruger out of the leg holster and in his hand.
    “He looks fine.  I’ll have Doc check him out, though, after he stabilizes the mercs.”
    “OK, that’s good.  About Mourka, I’m in a holding pattern now.  The Killington rep is on my ass not to let my guys get too aggressive.  But if you need him, you got him,” Donte said.
    Ryck’s display suddenly lit up with more data.  Cpl Goddard had run a probe through the entrance to the lab floor, and it was picking up more data.  The AIs were trying to analyze that and decipher it into usable intel.  The mercs inside were shielded, but there were enough tiny leaks to be able to start to form a picture of what awaited them.
    Ryck was tempted to ask Donte to task Mourka and the squad to him to assault the lab, but the ROEs were pretty clear.  Like it or not, he had to minimize damage.
    “No, I don’t need them to be taking anything out of my salary to pay for stuff they destroy.  A year’s pay probably wouldn’t take care of the broom and shitcan they use to clean up the place.  If you don’t mind, though, I’d like them to secure our six so I can use all three squads to assault,” Ryck responded.
    “You got it, bro.  Let me tell Mourka.  This is Donte the Great, out.”
    Ryck had started to key in the platoon command circuit but stopped as he broke out in a laugh.  Donte was still Donte, whether back at the O-Club or here in combat. 
    “Doc, how are the mercs?” he sent to HM3 Campomanosi, Doc “Camp.”
    “We’ve got three WIA.  One is a Code 3, but the other two are Code 1s.  Lots of regen for all three, but the Code 1 needs to get casevac’d ASAP,” Doc told him.
    Ryck didn’t have the merc’s bioreadouts, of course, but Doc uploaded his own findings.  Ryck had basic first aid training, but not much of what Doc sent really meant a lot to him.  That is, except for the Code 1.  Code 1 meant a life-and-death situation where a WIA needed immediate evacuation and advanced care.  The UCFMJ required that all prisoners receive medical care as required. 
    Tactically, Ryck didn’t want to give the mercs inside any more time to prepare or plan.  Waiting for a casevac would give them that time.  On the other hand, the mercs inside knew they had a KIA and three WIA, and they probably knew that one of the WIAs was serious.  They would counter-attack when it wouldn’t put their comrades in danger. 
    There was also the moral side of the issue.  These were men, just like his Marines.  Ryck would hope that if the