She shrugged dismissively. "It's a Purple Heart. Standard medal for idiocy in the field." A Purple Heart was usually bad news for the person concerned, or more often their relatives. Awarded for death or serious injury in the line of duty it was a commendation few aspired to. With the war against Rheinland continuing to rage, they were gradually becoming a far more common sight. "I went and got my face blown off. Darn stupid decision by a darn stupid Private."
"We'd been called in to secure an artefact smuggler's ship. Can't remember what it was now. Some nice little freighter. I was going to be doing the talking, so I'd taken my helmet off. Gutsy guy, I'll give him that. Pointed a pistol right on at the Sergeant. Hartwell didn't take that too kindly and shot him. Right between the eyes." She placed a finger on her forehead, brushing against the ugly scar stretching across her nose.
"Flicked a dead man's switch on his way down. Detonated a whole lot of burner tape, all the way down the corridor." Incendiary strips, a substance more commonly known as burner tape, was in frequent use throughout the colonies, usually with miners and salvages either too impatient or too poor to use the proper equipment. A mixture of thermite, and various catalysts and enhancers, the compound burnt extremely hot, extremely quickly. When burner's were detonated in close proximity to flesh the results were most often fatal.
"Vickers hauled me out of that mess. They told me the ship just about came apart. " Hartman recounted the story detachedly, like a man handling rotten meat.
"I guess my face would've been a right mess. Never did have the guts to check out the recordings. I'm sure it's still floating around in your archives somewhere. Walked out of medical down in Bragg about six months later.
Haven't stepped on a warship since." She raised an eyebrow bemusedly.
"So, that'd be my little sob-story. Earnt me a nice bit of metal and odd looks at parties."
jimmy noticed the rustling of the lady who had run to the bathroom he had know she was a Marine simply from the way she seemed to carry herself he had also spotted there weapons most easily her 'breaching pistol' as it was unofficially called and carefully placed his hand over his pistol as well unsnapping its holster 'just in case' he had also motioned a serving lady over "one drink for the women with the medal simply inform her its from the marine in the booth to her 4 o'clock" he instructed her smiling" and fetch me a side winder fang mix it with Californian whiskey will you please"
he sat careful not to get over drunk but to drink only enough to relax soak up some time off from his dutys in the order he had ordered the drink for no reason he could think of and waited for his own looking over his PDA accessed link to the orders comms hub where he had noticed he was promoted "about damn time" he said into the display as he started a reply sipping from his newly arrived drink
The man in front of Jane listened to every word she said. The story reminded him of his father's same deeds. Although his father didn't receive any citation nor any award.
"I'd say you were pretty quick to act. It might be a stupid move but still you don't see people like these days anymore.", he said as he slid the medal back to the woman's side of the table. Looking again at his now-empty wine glass, "Would you like another drink?"
Remus looked around. It seems they've been staying at the pub for a long time now. Some of the newcomers looked familiar to him, but he didn't want to get any attention. Flashing the medal around like that already made several eyes looked toward their direction but Remus made a good show in acting like a freelancer.
"You seemed loyal to your duty but what -really- made you quit? And, ah... What made you become a Xeno; if, you don't mind me asking."
"You don't quite get it. You don't quit, not really." As if to illustrate her point, the waitress stumbled over, depositing a non-descript cup on the table, filled with an equally questionable beverage. The girl murmured a few words to Jane, of which the phrase 'Marine' was just discernible. Without hesitation, the Xeno took a swig from the glass. It didn't matter where you came from or where you went. That common experience united people like nothing else in Sirius. Once a marine, always a marine. She nodded, whispering a few words to the waitress in return.
"My life's a book, hun, you can't just open it right on up in the middle and expect it to make sense. I had a lot of time to think while they put me back together again. Guess I figured that there was something not right. Not that I blame you folks for it. Doesn't it seem mighty odd to you, all these laws we run around enforcing? Artefacts, for one. Why restrict the trade? I've never seen a chunk of rock actually hurt anyone. People only hurt each other to get them. Every day, there's another pirate pulling goods off some poor kid just tryin' to pay his bills. The military's stretched thinner than a sheet of goddarn plastic-wrap, they're too busy off fighting the war. Not that I'm saying it might not be necessary, but let's be honest. It's a darn good PR exercise for the brass, isn't it? Keeps folks distracted from troubles at home.
Just all mounted up I think. That and the incompetence. Funny how it works out, all the little things.
The Xenos seemed like decent sorts. They ain't as bad as they're made out to be by most. They run soup kitchens down planetside, you know. Trying to do something decent. I respect them for that. I don't agree with everything they chuck their weight behind, but we get on well enough. At least they're honest about what they want.
Can't say I don't agree with them on that one. Liberty's a right mess at the moment. I think until we can get our own issues good and squared away, we shouldn't be off screwing up the rest of Sirius. No, don't get me wrong. I'm still doing the same job as you are, when you get down to it. Just working at it a little differently." She grasped the medal, returning it to her pocket.
"How is it that you end up hanging around with us criminals and rogues? That's hardly the norm for Ruperts." Rupert was a term usually used by the Bretonian infantry, slang for a commissioned officer. Jane had made a habit of using it around them, just for shock value.
Across the room, the over-burdened waitress returned to Patterson's table. "The woman on table 17 sends her thanks. Also..er... She wants to know 'Who the hell you are, Sir.'"
Jane flashed a grin across the bar.
jimmy smiled sipping his drink caught her glancing around he stood up and made his way across the bar" you two mind if i join you? names Patterson Major, James Steven Patterson,Third Marine expeditionary force,retired pretty shocking for a guy whos two years shy of thirty huh?" he replied as he went to grab for a empty seat from a nearby table
"Go right on ahead Major." Jane hauled her chair a few inches to the left, cheap plastic leaving scuff marks on the floor. Ruperts everywhere. At least this one was a Marine.
"Patterson?" She paused, mentally filtering through a mass of files. "Iwo Jima, wasn't it? What happened to the old girl?"
The Iwo Jima had been one of very few fully marine-operated warships. More a floating barracks, she'd still been more than capable of bringing the full firepower of a Battlecruiser to bear. The ship had been an enormous source of pride to the Corps. Jane had lost track of it after the artefact incident, and never bothered to look it up again. To sit in a bar speaking to the Commander all these months later was just darn odd. The Xeno fought off the urge to pinch herself, taking another gulp of the drink. By that point, she'd completely given up on trying to taste it. Judging by the wine, that would've been a nasty idea from the start.
"shes still running and still the pride of the corps,i however no longer command her" he replied as he sat down and took a sip from his drink.
"my retirement is... complicated although im still listed as reserve,i just needed to walk away from some of the stuff ive had to witness,sort of like a medical leave or forced vacation f sorts,but diffrent. "he sighed then resumed again the conversation obviously paining him slightly and the Iwo was one of the rare things that made him hurt as such "there's things im sworn to secrecy over but they have scarred me for life,they want me back but in truth i don't know what to do nor where to go"
he sat back as he called up a digital photo on his armpad computer,<normally a spec ops tool he had "borrowed" one from iwos stores for personal use> of his command staff with him in the center his xo on his left ,tactical to the right and so on for all major departments they were in the observation room with a sunrise cresting over planet los angeles had the photo been external the iwo would be brilliantly lit up on her port side. he detached it and offered it to the Private there was also a small slideshow of various internal shots of him and the crew or the iwo herself one he personally liked was of her cutting through the ice clouds in the California system like a shark,the gases had partly enveloped the iwo, partly silhouetting her.
"ive got a few fair medals too but i kept them aboard my new rig... a kusari explorer i use to get around"
After listening to Jane's story, Remus just sat there stared at his empty glass. As the waitress gives the Xeno a drink, the freelancer makes an odd look and his eyes follow the movement of the waitress to which they find their sights on a familiar looking person. He immediately shifts his eyes to Jane and replies,
"To be honest, I never really thought about the Marine Corps like that. Do forgive me as the few years I've been a Navy officer, I never really felt what is like to be a Marine."
Just before the person, who gave Jane the drink, came over to their table. Jane shoots a question, one of which he already made a point about.
"I think you know already my habits. Particularly regarding criminals and rogues."
The person introduced himself as a Major Patterson, the name rang a bell on the officer's mind. 'Patterson... that guy in command of a certain LABC.... What was its name??' Before Remus could answer, Jane already beat him to it. Remus just smiled at the two conversing before starting to talk. While they were conversing, Remus motions for the waitress. After some few words and he hands her some credits. The waitress comes back bringing another bottle with a Gallic name different from the previous one. He looks back at Jane. and motioned for the same waitress that had handed Jane a drink. He pluck the cork out *plop* and began to pour one for himself.
"Major... Patterson eh. I believe I haven't met you in person...... Until now.", he grins as he tastes the new wine.
Jane flicked through the images Patterson'd handed her. Most of it was the sort of stuff she would have expected to see on a promotional video, she skipped those as quickly as the device would allow. She lingered on the photos of the crew, most of them in their early twenties. Proud, devoted, some things carried across the service well enough. With the enlisted troopers, at any rate. Officers were usually a little different. Present company excluded.
"You mentioned it, Commander. Don't think you mentioned why you hang around us though. Could lose you your job." The woman chuckled drily, evidently she didn't expect an answer.
"Major Patterson, Commander Sius. Sure you'll all get along like a house on fire." She glanced around the bar, ignoring the suddenly hostile gaze of a few patrons. The Xeno wasn't overly worried. It was Barrier Gate, anyone keen for a fire fight would lose drinking privileges for at least a month. For most, the threat of sobriety would've been enough to have them shoot their grandmother.
" ha nah im ok around the fleeters, ive saved some of em they have bailed us out a few times bomber swarms mostly they fail but we've had a few close calls im not to proud of" he finished his drink the waitress grabbing him another "make it a beer instead,please"
he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up a bit and casually let his right hand walk over his pistol grip then he relaxed,should a fight happen he was ready fear was like all soldiers at the back of his mind but he,like the private was not worried " so commander,sius was it...hmm no i don't believe we've met" his beer arrived and he pulled a military issue multi tool outta his pocket and poped the cap <the waitress seeming to of forgot> then placed it back in his pants pocket taking a pull from the beverage