BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL

THEGREYJEDI

Grey and Brown, part 1
Sunday, March 20, 2005

A young Alliance Lieutenant is left in command of the remnants of the Allied Military Forces in Serenity Valley.


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 3214    RATING: 9    SERIES: FIREFLY

A tall man stared into the sky with tired grey eyes. No words escaped his stubbled jaw as the Alliance transports flew overhead and out of the sky. They left them there. He looked down at the men around him. dozens of men under his command. Not a one of them younger than him. He looked at the flag on their shoulders and wondered what he found so reassuring in it not a day ago. His own superiors, his own government had left him there. He saw Sgt. Starkri pushing forward to his position. He sighed. His age had always been a sticking point between the two of them. But he would not lose control of his command. Especially not now.

"sergeant get back to your post."

"No offense, Lieutenant, but we don't have any posts right now. We've been tossed aside. There is NO command. So you can bite my-"

"sergeant!" His hand fell to his pistol. There were only ten in existance like it. Each belonged to one of the graduates from the Alliance Academy. Of them, he was the only one left alive. It was a prototype weapon. The rounds were rocket-propelled slugs, each 20mm in diameter and armed with a small explosive warhead. Resupplies were infrequent and small. He drew the pistol and aimed the large barrel at the sergeant's rather sizeable torso. "You will return to your post or I WILL end you! I will NOT take an arguments!" The sergeant's brown eyes scanned the lieutenant's for any sign of weakness or waver. Finding none, he spit at his feet and went back to his post. Two steps sounded intently behind him.

"You'd have been better off if you'd have shot him, El Tee."

"We've lost enough men, Jones." The lieutenant took off his helmet, and ran his right hand through his hair, a sign that only Jones knew meant he was worried. "Alright, First sergeant. Get 'em up. We're going to make for what's left of command. Get on the comm, see what we've got by way of officers, then-"

"You're it, El Tee."

"What?"

"I've been with Corporal Goldberg on the horn since I heard the strikes dying down. You're it. There's elements of the 4th and 7th Infantry, lead by two three-stripes each. The 338th Artillery is joining up with the 32nd Osiris Volunteers, and heading towards Command under, get this, a nurse. 2nd Lt. Mizuno and what's left of the 1066th Medic Corps. I've told everyone else, stragglers and remains of the 10th through 15th Infantry divisions and Companies A, B, D, and H of the 2nd Reserves, to make for Command." El Tee sighed and strapped his helmet back on. He holstered his pistol and picked up his rifle. He looked up into the night sky again. "First Lieutenant Grey?" Grey sighed.

"I'm 22 years old. I'm too young for this. Gorramit, Jones, what happened?"

"Momentary break down of the command structure, sir." Jones intoned his sir heavily. Putting heavy emphasis on Grey's new charge. First sergeant Jones was an inch or two shorter than Grey, and leaner. But also tougher, mean. His brown hair was streaked with pale white at the temples, a scar ran across his chin, and countless marks and wounds pocked his form. His intense blue eyes locked Grey in their gaze. Grey tugged at his tunic.

"Right. Mount up." Jones saluted sharply. Grey returned and grabbed his gear. Jones began barking orders, the soldiers grabbing gear, weapons, and ammo. Grey was leading the column at point with Starkri, Jones pulling up the rear. The column of grey uniforms held 23 soldier on foot, another 4 on a small utility truck, wounded. Some of the stragglers merged into the formation on the way. 36 men and women marched into Alliance Command under Lt. Grey. Lt. Mizuno ran up to Grey and snapped a quick salute. She was a petite asian, who looked a little overwhelmed.

"Lieutenant! There are Independents here! They're almost all wounded. I've been treating them, but some of the soldiers are getting restless. I'm not a soldier, I'm just a doctor." Grey glanced back at Jones.

"Doctor?" Jones shrugged. "It's my command now. I'll take care of it." Grey strode up to the command stand in the parade ground where most of the soldiers had gathered. "A parade ground. A gorram parade ground. In the middle of a gorram battefield. Christ." He grabbed the hand piece and clicked the button. "Attention! I am First Lieutenant Grey! I am the ranking officer of the Allied Planets Military Forces. It's important for everyone's survival that we stick together. This means that ANY wounded get treated as per the treosh assessments performed by the medics. Independent or Alliance, we're all human. We've all been left here. We are under truce. Anyone who interferes in the treatment of a wounded soldier on ANY side will be punished." There were obvious grumblings. There were over a hundred soliders there. Nearly all of them were older than him by several years. One "damn kid" sounded over the rest of the grumblings. Before Grey could give the order, Jones had grabbed the mand and dragged him up to Grey.

"El Tee, the Corporal would like to voice his concerns over your ability to command. Shall I convince him?"

"No, First Sarge, let him go. You got something to say...Kulp?"

"I've got five years on you. You're a punk kid, nothing more. Academy brats mucked up this whole army."

"I tell you what, Kulp, I'll make a deal with you. If you can take me down, I'll relinquish my command to someone you feel is more qualified." Corporal Kulp grinned and popped his knuckles. He dropped his gun and started boxing the air. Grey took off his overcoat and folded it neatly, handing it to Jones. The same with his helmet, his pistol belt and his gloves. "Thank you, Jones, I'll be finished in a moment."

"Of course, sir." A few of Kulp's friends cheered him on. He looked to be more likely to win. His face was hardened and creased by combat and the sight of friends being killed in front of him. He had an obvious size advantage over the already large lieutenant, standing at a good two meters in height and weighing in at just under 125 kilograms. He walked up to Grey as he was handing his white gloves to Jones. He reached his fist back for a haymaker against the seemingly unaware officer. He swung. The crowd flinched, complete with eews and ows and hisses as a body hit the dirt. Grey stood in a martial pose, the palm of his right hand facing outward at the space where Kulp's chest used to be.

"Does anyone else doubt my ability to command ability?" No one moved.

"Ten-hut, maggots!" Jones barked out. The soldiers around snapped into salutes. Grey looked over the men around him. He snapped back a perfect salute. "Medic! Come get this piece of filth off the ground! Dismissed!" The soldiers went back to setting up camp. "How's your hand, sir?"

"It'll keep." Grey rubbed his right hand a bit, then shook it a bit. He slipped his gloves on and grabbed his coat. He tossed his helmet on the dais and sat beside it on the edge. He reached into his pocket and grabbed one of his cigars. "Gorammit."

COMMENTS

Monday, April 4, 2005 1:10 PM

SOULOFSERENITY


Okay, I see a rating, but no comments.

I really like this, seeing the aftermath of the war from the viewpoint of alliance soldiers.

- Soul

Monday, May 9, 2005 5:26 PM

BLUEBOMBER


Good stuff, Jedi. I noticed Grey's use of the PICARD MANUEVER (tugging at his tunic)! Sweet!


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