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murmured over his shoulder to Saul. Saul nodded gravely as he made a note.
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    “Do you think we'll get more support, sir? We need dedicated assault craft. I'm talking marine aerospacecraft, drop pods, and dedicated aerospace gunships, sir,” Major Pendeckle stated.
    “All that will have to come from Antigua,” the colonel replied.
    “You're kidding,” the major replied with a grimace.
    “No, afraid not. Admiral Irons has the keys for that hardware.”
    “Which means it'll have to be shipped in to us. And you wanna guess what the priority will be?”
    “I know,” the colonel replied. He shook his head. The major was right; they needed dedicated hardware. Not just drop shuttles, ground vehicles, drones, and the occasional assault shuttle but the full kit and caboodle he thought.
    Aerospace gunships were the latest thing the major had taken a shine on. They had come in many different forms and varieties over the centuries. It was hard to choose one and getting the mix right on each world would most likely be hit or miss. Armed drones were a given, but they could only do so much.
    He was old school; he preferred to have a mortal in the loop. Control transmissions and telemetry could be hacked or jammed. A person in the pilot's seat couldn't. Sure it put a life or lives at risk, but that was the price of being a marine.
    “It's not just the actual hardware that's a bottleneck though; it's the damn ordinance for it as well. Has anyone thought of that yet?” the major demanded.
    “I suspect you just did, but I bet the admiral has thought of it. The question is, what he'll do about it. Hopefully, something soon.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “They are going to need help for Protodon. I know Lewis did an outstanding job on Hidoshi's World, but we can't expect that to happen every time, everywhere.”
    “You think they'll call us up?” the major asked hopefully.
    Jersey nodded. “I'm pretty sure Protodon is a good place for your boys and girls to cut their teeth and get blooded. Hopefully not too badly, but …,” he shook his head.
    The major nodded grimly.
    “There haven't been any orders yet, but I expect them soon. Most likely starting with penny packets before someone decides it's a good idea to send in more. Hell, for all I know they'll draw them from that convoy to Kathy's World!” He threw a hand up in despair and then let it fall.
    “Yeah. That'd suck.”
    “Most of the trainers and recruiters can handle it. And Gunny McClintock is there; I know he can handle whatever anyone throws his way.”
    “Yeah, but even if he's in that damn super suit of his, it's not worth spit if the ship he's in gets blown up around him,” the major reminded him.
    “Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of too,” Jersey murmured. “How goes the tour?”
    “He's not showing much. Apparently the SEALS and Special Forces didn't go over well.”
    “Oh?”
    “Yeah. He did have a good idea to pull one of the marines in to lend a hand with the training syllabus.”
    “Oh?”
    “Yes. Apparently she was a SEAL washout. She knows some of the tricks and stuff they did. Lieutenant Simpson sent me an email requesting her services sometime.”
    “I see. I'll get her here,” the colonel replied.
    “Thank you, sir.”
    “How are the sleepers integrating?”
    “Not bad, sir. I promoted Lieutenant Lyon to captain as you ordered. He's good, sir. He's running his recon company through the ringer now. The other companies are starting to step up out of self-defense.”
    The colonel exchanged a shark-like grin with the major. “Always good to hear. Everyone needs a little Valenko treatment now and then. Keep me posted.”
    “Aye aye, sir.”
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    One of the best things about being in Agnosta was his ability to catch up on current events that the rear admiral had missed during his time in transit between Triang and Agnosta.
    Fortunately the download had already been completed prior to his arrival. Nothing had been