Recruit by Jonathan Brazee (the best ebook reader for android .txt) 📕

Tarawa

Chapter 28

“Enter!” the voice ordered.

Corporal Ryck Lysander opened the hatch, then marched in to center himself in front of Sergeant Major Huertas.

“Corporal Lysander, reporting as ordered.”

“At ease, Lysdander, at ease.  You know why you’re here.  Your enlistment is up in seven days.  It’s declare time for you.  As you know, you’ve been approved for reenlistment.  It’s yours if you want it.  You can stay infantry, but there have been by-name requests for you from the armory and armor.  Have you made your decision?”

“Yes, sergeant major, but first, can I ask you something, if I can get personal?”

That seemed to take the sergeant major back, but after a moment, he replied, “Sure, son.  What is it?”

“Well, and please accept it if I’m getting too personal, but you never married.  Why?”

Ryck half expected a blast with a “None of your fucking business!” 

Instead, the sergeant major looked down at his fingers as if checking the nails for dirt, then said “I was married to the Corps, son.  It wouldn’t be fair for some young honey to be waiting for me, to wonder what was happening, to sit with me while I was going through regen.  Hardly seems fair to me.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Oh, I like women, you can be sure of that.  And I’ve had my fun.  Maybe I’ve had some regrets, but I made my choice.”

“Was it worth it, though?” Ryck asked.

“Yes.  Absolutely.  You know I’m retiring next month.  But if I could I would switch places with you in a heartbeat.  To be a corporal in the Marines again.  Things are happening now, things are heating up.  If the shit hits the fan, I would want to be at the tip of the spear, son, the tip of the spear.

“But I’m just an old fart now, regened three times, and ready to be put out to pasture.  Maybe I’ll hook up with some honeywa and see what all those civvies think is so great about marriage.  Maybe I’ll just whore around until they bury me.  But my time has passed.  Now it’s your time.  So it’s up to you.  What is your decision?”

“You know I went to my home planet two months ago, right?  I saw my sister, her kids.  I got a great job offer.  I’d make more money in a year than I would in an entire career in the Corps.  I could find a wife.  I could have a family.”

“And so . . . ?”

“But that was not my home.  My home is here.  My family is here.  In the Corps.  I want to reenlist.”