Title: "Rico's Roughnecks" - Chapter 2
Fandom: Starship Troopers - General Series
Characters: Lieutenant Johnny Rico, 1SGT Ace Levy, UCF Mobile Infantry
Prompt: 086. Choices
Word Count: Approx. 1,187
Rating: PG-13, adult language
Author's Notes: "Starship Troopers" was originally created by Robert Heinlein (science fiction novel). My Starship Troopers fan fictions are either based on the CGI cartoon series or the two movies "Starship Troopers" and "Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation". Obviously other people own the rights to all this good stuff. I'm just keeping the story going for the public enjoyment.
"Rico's Roughnecks" - Chapter 2
Within the large share of Ticonderoga that was allocated to visiting Mobile Infantry troop units, a small city within the city grew. Manned by wounded veterans for the benefit of MI troopers passing through the base, the recreation areas had all manner of shops and activities for the soldiers. The facilities ranged from tattoo parlors to UCF-sanctioned bars serving the government's "authorized" synthetic liquors. One place, called "Tycho's Toilet", run by a former Fleet pilot named Thomas "Pirate" Tycho, happened to have become the favorite of the Roughnecks during their many rotations through the station.
Lieutenant Rico found the key members of his company sitting around a large holovid screen, laughing raucously about a new UCF recruiting commercial that was running on the Fed Net. The commercial replayed footage taken by a war correspondent that was embedded with the 6th Division during the first invasion of Klendathu. It just so happened that the footage included Rico, Ace Levy, and some other familiar - but deceased - faces.
"Some members of the Federal Council think it's easier to take a live and let live approach to the bug problem..." the correspondent began.
The camera fixed on Rico, Levy, Dizzy Flores and Shijumi, and Rico squared off to face the lens, shouting, "I'm from Buenos Aires, and I say KILL 'EM ALL!"
A popular UCF military recruiter's voice took over. "That's right, everyone. They hit Earth, and we're going to kill them all! Join the bug hunt! Do your part to win the war! Service guarantees citizenship!"
"What's all the noise about, people?" Rico shouted over the laughter, getting the attention of his people.
First Sergeant Levy spun around on his barstool and offered Rico a drink. "Seems like you're some sort of celebrity, El-Tee!"
"It was a different time, back then," Rico said, his mind flashing back to the friends who were no longer with them. He accepted the shot glass of synthetic beer and chugged it down with one gulp.
"That's for the ones who didn't come home," he added, slamming the shot glass rim-down onto the surface of the bar.
"Hooah, brother!" Levy said, chugging his own beverage and smashing the glass down. One by one, the rest of the Roughnecks did the same.
As the rest of the Roughnecks returned their attention to the Fed Net news reports on the holovid screen, cheering at the repeated footage of Fleet fighter strikes on heavily populated Bug colonies, Levy turned to chat with his commander.
"So, Johnny, what did the brass over in Personnel want with you?"
"They had good news for us, Ace. Because of our actions on Klendathu, we've all earned our citizenship, and as a reward, if we want to rotate home to Earth, wecan serve out our terms training recruits or getting blasted drunk on a quiet garrison world."
"Well, shit," Levy swore. "What's the UCF gonna do when their best company of recon troopers gpacks up their toys and goes home? Who's gonna win the war for them?"
"They offered us an alternative," Rico added. "Any of us who want to stay on can volunteer to be reassigned to special duty. They'll bring the Roughneks back up to TO&E strength, send us to training, and then off on a new mission profile."
"What kind of mission profile? The Suicide Brigade?" Levy asked with a chuckle.
"No. The brass said it would be independent deep reconnaissance. We've already been relieved from the 6th Division, so anyone who stays on with me will be assigned to the new mission automaticaly unless I sign off a transfer."
"Independent deep reconnaissance, eh?" Levy said, rubbing his chin. "Sounds a lot like shit duty on garrison worlds, or maybe the Special Forces."
"I would say the latter, actually."
"Did you say yes for the company?" Levy asked.
"No. I told the colonel that spoke with me, that I would put it to everyone and let them decide."
"What are you gonna do, Johnny?"
"I'm gonna accept the new mission, Ace. There's nothing for me at home. Buenos Aires is a smoking crater, my family is long dead. Dizzy wanted to be with me, and she's dead.
"I could hope to come across Carmen again, but she accepted another Fleet post while recovering aboard the medical ship Haven in Klendathu orbit. That's why they didn't ship her back here with us. They probably needed her to fill a hole in another fighter carrier's crew.
"Bottom line is, I have nobody special left in my life except the Army. I'd rather see all you guys take an out and go to Earth alive, back to whatever homes and loved ones you have."
Levy polished off his drink and clapped his commander on the shoulder. "Hell, Johnny. I have nothing to go home to either. My folks kicked me out and I would've been sent to prison somewhere if I didn't join the Army and become an MI trooper. I'd rather follow you to the gates of Hell's Planet and back, anyway."
"That's good, Ace. Let's put it to everyone else, so that I can pass the word back to Colonel Henry."
***
"Please come in, Lieutenant," Colonel Henry said, half-standing behind his desk and extending his prosthetic hand in Rico's direction.
"Thank you, sir," Rico replied, taking a seat in front of the personnel officer.
"Have you and the Roughnecks made up your minds?"
"We have, sir. Each and every one of us has decided to accept the new mission."
A smile crossed Colonel Henry's face, as he pulled out a file folder and rotated a rack of rubber inkstamps, selecting one for the folder. "Very well, Lieutenant. Or, should I say congratulations to you, Brevet Captain?"
The two officers shook hands briskly, and Colonel Henry pulled out a small, velvet-lined box. Passing it over to Rico, as if he was prepared fully for the news the lieutenant was going to bring, Henry bade Rico to open it.
Flipping open the spring-loaded cover to the box, Rico found a pair of shiny silver rank insignia, two lightning bolt flashes superimposed upon a mailed fist and sword device.
"Put 'em on, Captain, they're yours," Colonel Henry said. He passed over a small plastic container with miniature data disks inside. "I was ready to assume you would take the special operations assignment. You had a look in your eyes when I mentioned it earlier today. But now we need to get to work filling out your ranks. Start by picking who you want out of those dossiers. And make sure your people have all of their Federal next of kin forms updated and datafaxed back to Earth. Give 'em Hell, son."
As Rico saluted the colonel and left the office with his new grade pinned to his uniform lapel and personnel dockets in hand, he wondered if the choice he and his Roughnecks had made was the right one.
To Be Continued...
Fleet Battle Station Ticonderoga
Mobile Infantry Billeting and Recreation Ring
Fleet Station Ticonderoga Army Personnel Detachment
A few hours later...