McKenzie was KIA and Jesse Fain never even made it to wherever she was going. She was lost in transit, somewhere in the dead zone. Her waiting was over. He didn't have the heart to continue. He was about to turn off the terminal and have it taken away when an update flashed across the screen.
Bobby Johnson had just clocked back in.
Chapter 1
Master Sergeant Robert Benjamin Johnson sat on his duffel bag, a longbow resting across his lap.
The plastic duffel, which had just been drawn from supply, made slight crackling noises as he shifted his weight upon it. Beside him was Finn Delaney, Pfc, dressed in the garb of a Saxon peasant and fast asleep on the plastic bench. Johnson heard someone call out his name and looked up to see a non-com dressed in transit fatigues threading his way through the crowd toward the bank of vending machines near which they waited. It took him a moment to recognize the man; Lucas Priest had aged.
"Lucas! Jesus Christ, you're still alive!"
"Only just barely," Priest said. They clapped their arms around each other in an awkward bear hug.
"God, it's good to see you," Lucas said. "I wasn't sure I'd make it back from that last one. Nothing like a four week long forced march to prime you for facing Hannibal and his damn elephants. If it wasn't for the historical preservation regs, I'd have murdered that bastard, Scipio."
"That rough, huh?"
"Don't ask."
"I don't have to. You look all done in." He glanced at Priest's insignia. "I see you made sergeant major."
"And you've been bumped a grade or two as well. How long has it been?"
"It's been a while," said Bobby, grinning. "I haven't seen you since this morning."
They sat down to compare notes. The last time they saw each other, it had been at 0900 September 17, 2613. But that was Plus Time. Since then, Lucas had sailed with Lord Nelson, fought under General Pershing, picked up a saber scar in the Crimea and helped to kill Custer at the Little Big Horn. Now he had just clocked in from fighting in the Punic Wars and it was 1435 September 17, 2613. Lucas Priest had aged ten years. He and Johnson had been the same age five Plus Time hours ago, but now Lucas looked older. He had put in much more Minus Time. Lucas had about three days of Plus Time left to serve and Bobby had four days to go.
"It's great to see you again, Lucas," Bobby said. "I wish to hell we had time for a drink, but my code's on stand-by."
"I know," said Lucas, lifting his tags out and twirling them between two fingers. Bobby made a grab for them.
"Green 44! We've got the same departure code!"
Lucas smiled. "Well, fancy that."
"You knew!"
"Of course I knew," said Lucas. "I checked the data on you as soon as I clocked in. I told you I'd be doing it, didn't you believe me?"
"Yeah, well, everybody says that, you know? But it gets depressing, seeing all the KIAs and MIAs...."
"I know," said Lucas softly. "My list of friends keeps getting shorter."
There was an awkward pause. Bobby finally broke the silence, anxiously trying to change the subject.
"How in hell did you come up with Green 44? You had a code choice? You look okay, but—"
"I never exercised my option after I got wounded in the Crimea," Lucas said. "I decided to hold off until the time was right."
"But why did you go for a code choice instead of bonus Plus Time?"
"If you had a choice between a lousy hour of bonus time and friendship time, what would you choose?" Lucas said.
"Well, since you put it that way, I guess I'd opt for spending a hitch together with a friend. But I'd still cry about the bonus."
"So you pick up another wound."
"Thanks, but if I can, I'll pass. I've been lucky so far, knock on wood." He glanced around. "You see any wood anywhere?"
Lucas grinned. "Tap on some plastic and cross your fingers."
He turned to see his squire pulling up on a dolly with his gear all packed. He had left word where he could be found so that he wouldn't have to wait around to meet whomever it would turn out to be. It
Bobby Johnson had just clocked back in.
Chapter 1
Master Sergeant Robert Benjamin Johnson sat on his duffel bag, a longbow resting across his lap.
The plastic duffel, which had just been drawn from supply, made slight crackling noises as he shifted his weight upon it. Beside him was Finn Delaney, Pfc, dressed in the garb of a Saxon peasant and fast asleep on the plastic bench. Johnson heard someone call out his name and looked up to see a non-com dressed in transit fatigues threading his way through the crowd toward the bank of vending machines near which they waited. It took him a moment to recognize the man; Lucas Priest had aged.
"Lucas! Jesus Christ, you're still alive!"
"Only just barely," Priest said. They clapped their arms around each other in an awkward bear hug.
"God, it's good to see you," Lucas said. "I wasn't sure I'd make it back from that last one. Nothing like a four week long forced march to prime you for facing Hannibal and his damn elephants. If it wasn't for the historical preservation regs, I'd have murdered that bastard, Scipio."
"That rough, huh?"
"Don't ask."
"I don't have to. You look all done in." He glanced at Priest's insignia. "I see you made sergeant major."
"And you've been bumped a grade or two as well. How long has it been?"
"It's been a while," said Bobby, grinning. "I haven't seen you since this morning."
They sat down to compare notes. The last time they saw each other, it had been at 0900 September 17, 2613. But that was Plus Time. Since then, Lucas had sailed with Lord Nelson, fought under General Pershing, picked up a saber scar in the Crimea and helped to kill Custer at the Little Big Horn. Now he had just clocked in from fighting in the Punic Wars and it was 1435 September 17, 2613. Lucas Priest had aged ten years. He and Johnson had been the same age five Plus Time hours ago, but now Lucas looked older. He had put in much more Minus Time. Lucas had about three days of Plus Time left to serve and Bobby had four days to go.
"It's great to see you again, Lucas," Bobby said. "I wish to hell we had time for a drink, but my code's on stand-by."
"I know," said Lucas, lifting his tags out and twirling them between two fingers. Bobby made a grab for them.
"Green 44! We've got the same departure code!"
Lucas smiled. "Well, fancy that."
"You knew!"
"Of course I knew," said Lucas. "I checked the data on you as soon as I clocked in. I told you I'd be doing it, didn't you believe me?"
"Yeah, well, everybody says that, you know? But it gets depressing, seeing all the KIAs and MIAs...."
"I know," said Lucas softly. "My list of friends keeps getting shorter."
There was an awkward pause. Bobby finally broke the silence, anxiously trying to change the subject.
"How in hell did you come up with Green 44? You had a code choice? You look okay, but—"
"I never exercised my option after I got wounded in the Crimea," Lucas said. "I decided to hold off until the time was right."
"But why did you go for a code choice instead of bonus Plus Time?"
"If you had a choice between a lousy hour of bonus time and friendship time, what would you choose?" Lucas said.
"Well, since you put it that way, I guess I'd opt for spending a hitch together with a friend. But I'd still cry about the bonus."
"So you pick up another wound."
"Thanks, but if I can, I'll pass. I've been lucky so far, knock on wood." He glanced around. "You see any wood anywhere?"
Lucas grinned. "Tap on some plastic and cross your fingers."
He turned to see his squire pulling up on a dolly with his gear all packed. He had left word where he could be found so that he wouldn't have to wait around to meet whomever it would turn out to be. It
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