CYTM46

=Chapter 46=
==Can you tell me where can we start over?==
Melissia, Lyran Alliance
3064
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"...not going to die on this hill, sir."  Lt. Commander Pol Nguyen ("It's pronounced 'Wen', Herr General) wasn't technically an LAAF officer, and his writ of authority didn't extend beyond the outer jump limit of the Kowloon star system.
This didn't stop the Coast Guard Marine commander from showing up with Dropships and a small task group of cutters to cover the withdrawal of the 14th Donegal Guards from Newtown Square while inflicting casualties on the invading Jade Falcon forces to gain Air superiority. While managing to extract the planetary militia, as well as a considerable portion of the unimportant world's political and economic leadership.
"It does look wrong, doesn't it?" Adam Steiner said, referring to Marshall Sharon Bryan's fortified bunker, 'The Rock' and layered defenses.
"Sir, a wise man once said fixed fortifications are a testament to the stupidity of man...then he broke the Brian Fort at Running Deer Mountain on Elbar."  the Kowloonese officer noted.  "The rock, it ain't no brian fort.  My mission orders were to extract your unit and convey them to a destination of your choice, I have fulfilled those orders, and I am NOT taking orders from someone who thinks she can fort up in a bunker in an era that includes air-strikes, vertical envelopment assaults, and orbital bombardment."
The younger man paused, waiting for Adam's reply.
"You're not regular service?"
"Not since '60, sir, I did my tour and got out as soon as I got back, signed up with the Coast Guard and...well..." Pol shrugged, "This is the second time I've looked at a command decision and realized I didn't want to be anywhere close to the disaster."
"I'm supposed to order you and your men to stay here, she's citing 'reserve call up'." General Steiner said.
"Sir, the tape says 'Marine', that's spelled 'M-A-R-I-N-E, not 'Moron' which in English is spelled M-O-R-O-N. If we stay, it's under the 14th or not at all, sir.  I have a reinforced company of two hundred Marines with light vehicles on the ground, and responsibility for four cutters, a tender, and three dropships, all of which I intend to keep as alive as humanly possible. If Herr Marshall's plan works, we're not even a factor. If it doesn't, we're not going to be so much as a speedbump...Sir.  If you have a working operational plan for when, not if, the enemy does something intelligent by NOT attacking over-land against a fortified position? I'm all ears, sir."
"As it stands, I have a plan." General Steiner told him, "I need to know what kind of party favors you've got..."
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