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Jun 16, 2025

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Suddenly his wrist band flashed. “Prepare for relief” it said, and he watched on his comp and then with his eyes as one of the other Top Rankers came up the zip line and set up beside him, tarp, blanket, control equipment.

“Ld wants to see you,” he said, once he was arranged. [Names all round]

“Got it,” the Top Ranker said and, with one last glance at the visual, crawled out of his blanket and zipped down the line.

It was a good half an hour walk to the area where the picnic had been. He passed several of the shelters that they had constructed and thought with gratitude of the hard work he had insisted his troops put into these. He had done it just so that that stupid leader would not be able to criticize his work. Instead it had turned out to have sheltered his own children from those…

He suddenly stopped. Had that cursed hero known this would happen!?

“Barcis!” he heard and hurried into the clearing. There he saw the leader, some staff, and a group of men he didn’t know. One of which was in the ‘uniform’ of a sector governor!

“Sir!” he said, snapping out a salute, while staring nervously at the governor and his staff.

“How are things, going, Son?” the governor asked.

“Sir, they seem to be going very well. We beat back the initial bombing raid. The scout raid is still ongoing, but they’re not getting close to our position. The initial incidents have evolved into a few bore multi-service battle. The navy has several of their units down in atmosphere and they are doing well.”

“The space battle is all but over. The extra units you brought are overwhelming everything the buggers are sending against them. And we have made a major advance in front of our area.”

“So, your plan worked,” the governor said, turning back to the leader. *His plan!*

“It seems so, Sir.”

“And you risked all of these lasses and children?”

“Sir, all of these lasses and children are on the front lines already. We routinely lose barracks to enemy attacks, as I assume you know, with predominantly lasses and children taken prisoner… and you know their fate. I made sure this area was well prepared. I believe that they were safer here then they would have been back in the barracks. It is my policy to take our dependents on all of our exercise.”

“Including my daughter?” the governor said and the Top Ranker felt his face go white.

But Tomirosh, who must have ice water in his veins, merely answered “Yes, Sir.”

“And you have the support of your superiors in this… policy?”

“Sir, I discussed it with the Dictator Himself, and he approved.”

Barcis saw the rest of the crowd freeze, and he couldn’t have moved himself if one of the enemy lasers was blasting through his helmet. “I would appreciate it if that did not become known, however.”

“Are you giving me order, young man?”

“No Sir. But I believe the Dictator is not willing to let his approval of this project become widely known.”

“Or your marriage to my daughter?”

“Actually, I believe that he would like that to be as widely know as possible.”

“I see.”

“I believe your visit here will fit well with his plans.”

“I see. Well, I look forward to talking with you and my daughter tonight. Is there a place back at your barracks where we can meet?”

“Certainly, Sir,” Tomirosh said and Barcis saw Tom’s wife use her com and then, seconds later, a ranker, her aide if he recalled correctly, take off at a dead run.

“Well, let us look over the rest of your preparations here.”

“Very well, sir,” the leader said. “This is the Top Ranker who prepared them.”

Barcis, hoping that he was too young for a sudden heart attack, led the governor, some commander, and a bunch of other staff off toward the children’s shelters, leaving Tomirosh and his wife behind in the clearing, and wondering if he was going to face a court martial or get a medal. As they walked he saw his own wife, holding two of their children, standing watching him and grinning. She at least thought it must be a good thing for him to be in such exalted company.

Article 17

Article 17 is a military science fiction story with aliens and romance. It is set in a future reminiscent of Napoleon era Britain. The war was going very poorly until the military installed a dictator. This story follows one of the dictator’s great men: Cladin Tomirosh, Leader, and thrice decorated hero.

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Thank you for reading Von’s Substack. I would love it if you commented! I love hearing from readers, especially critical comments. I would love to start more letter exchanges, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, get writing and tag me!

Being ‘restacked’ and mentioned in ‘notes’ is very important for lesser-known stacks so… feel free! I’m semi-retired and write as a ministry (and for fun) so you don’t need to feel guilty you aren’t paying for anything, but if you enjoy my writing (even if you dramatically disagree with it), then restack, please! Or mention me in one of your own posts.

If I don’t write you back it is almost certain that I didn’t see it, so please feel free to comment and link to your post. Or if you just think I would be interested in your post!

If you get lost, check out my ‘Table of Contents’ which I try to keep up to date.

Von also writes as ‘Arthur Yeomans’. Under that name he writes children’s, YA, and adult fiction from a Christian perspective. His books are published by Wise Path Books and include the children’s/YA books:

The Bobtails meet the Preacher’s Kid: A Christian historical fiction chapter book about four orphans who go to live with their aunt on a dairy farm.

The Bobtails and the Cousins: The sequel to Preacher’s Kid. The aunt has married, and the cousins come to visit. Meaning town kids dealing with chores and manure and…

The Bobtails go to France: The sequel to cousins. The Bobtails, and Preacher’s Kid, get to take a trip to New York, London, Paris, and a small town in France. To get some cheese.

and

No Ordinary School: A brilliant but socially clueless boy gets recruited for a special school. Where he makes a lot of money, gets a girl, and solves a mystery.

As well as GK Chesterton’s wonderful book, “What’s Wrong with the World”, for which ‘Arthur’ wrote most of the annotations.

Arthur also has a substack, and a website. On the substack you can listen to some of his published books. Free.

Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,

Von