Starfist: Blood Contact Read Online Free PDF

outstanding job he's always done."
    Corporal "Rat" Linsman lifted his chin and tried to look superior. Lance Corporal Chan's heart raced and his eyes glowed. He was sure he could do the job, he hoped he could.
    "Good. You also get Watson, Claypoole, Nolet, and MacIlargie." He shook his head. "Think you can handle MacIlargie?"
    Bladon laughed. "No problem. He's still learning chapter one of the book I wrote when I was a PFC. I know all of the stunts he'll try to pull better than he does."
    "All right. You also get Hruska and Rowe. Get 'em organized and let me know what you did."
    "Hound, Stevenson gets your second gun team. Yi's your new man."
    Sergeant Kelly simply nodded. The gun squad was lucky, it had only lost one man on Diamunde.
    "That's it, then. Unless anybody has any questions, squad leaders... Yes?" He nodded to MacIlargie, who raised his hand.
    "Uh, Gunny? I was paying close attention to what you were saying, but I only heard two fire team leaders named for second squad. Did I miss something?"
    "No-o-o," Bass drew the word out, "but I imagine you'll wind up wishing you were in first squad.
    Squad leaders, do it. Tam, see me and Wang in the passageway for a moment."
    The three squads broke up into groups in different parts of the company classroom as Bass, Hyakowa, and Bladon left.
    Ratliff had one new man to put in each fire team. Since Pasquin was a corporal, he had to be a fire team leader. Ratliff gave him two men who'd been on operations with the company, Dean and Godenov.
    He pretended not to notice the glances Pasquin and Dean exchanged when he made the assignments.
    Dean bristled at the look Pasquin gave the woo.
    Why me? Dean wondered, stifling a groan. Rabbit should have given him Schultz—Hammer would straighten this guy out in a hurry.
    Dornhofer was his most experienced fire team leader—he got first fire team and the least experienced man, Dobervich, along with the toughest man in the company, Lance Corporal Schultz. Goudanis, the least experienced fire team leader, was third fire team leader, with Lance Corporal Van Impe, who might have gotten the promotion if he wasn't still on light duty from the wounds he received on Diamunde, and PFC Quick, who at least had some experience, even if it wasn't in the infantry.
    Bladon returned in a couple of minutes. He was grinning widely, but wouldn't tell anyone what Bass had wanted to see him about.
    After Bladon made his assignments, MacIlargie, looking confused asked, "Corporal Bladon, you put me and Rock in the same fire team."
    Bladon nodded. "That's right. You and Claypoole. All of my troublemakers together, right where I can keep an eye on you.
    "Who's our fire team leader?"
    Bladon laughed. "You'll find out soon enough," he said with a smile. "Then you'll probably wish you were in a different company."
    MacIlargie turned to Claypoole, a pained expression on his face. "What'd I do, Rock?" he asked.
    "What'd I do wrong? I haven't done anything wrong yet."
    "I'm not sure that's the problem," Claypoole answered softly. He looked a bit queasy himself.
    Bladon was still laughing as he left the classroom to tell Bass and Hyakowa about the assignments.

CHAPTER 3
    In nearly two years, Company L only had two promotion ceremonies. During the previous year, on board the amphibious battle cruiser Tripoli en route to Diamunde, Charlie Bass was promoted from staff sergeant to gunnery sergeant. Almost a year before that, on the Confederation ship HMS Gordon bound for Elneal, there was a promotion ceremony for the company's squad and fire team leaders, whose ranks were lower than called for in the table of organization.
    The infrequency of promotion ceremonies wasn't unusual—promotions came slowly in the Confederation Marine Corps. When there weren't many casualties, promotions were very slow.
    Thirty-fourth FIST had suffered very few casualties on Elneal, none on Wanderjahr. But the war on Diamunde had opened up a lot of slots for promotion, especially in the FIST's