What should I work on next?

24 March 2009

News From Earth

01 March …..

The RTS Santa Fe, Hammerhead and Mako arrived this morning just after Father Flannigan's sermon about the rising of Lazarus. It was quite an encore to the sermon. Sgt. Thibedeaux cooked fish and chips for us, it being Lent and all. It seems he has found a green colored type of potato here on Venus. They are as big as eggplants and were found just north of us about half a mile from the Aether landing pad.

Chief O'Malley says he is getting used to the constant traveling between planets, saying they make life interesting and he swears he holds the record by a Texican for time spent in the Aether. We received mail from Earth, and my family is doing quite well. The boys are doing great and are ready - as usual - for school to let out. Ian is especially ready, as he reports to Gannon Military Institute in the fall semester and is also slated for their “fish camp” orientation course that starts a week after his high school graduation, the third week of April. I'm sorry I'll miss that, but the missus says not to worry, because she has a surprise in store for me in regards to that. I am now officially worried.

The black legs received another company of infantry and two 1” Colt Gatling gun crews as well. That means two additional officers, one Field Artillery (red leg) officer, Subaltern Alex R. Kern, and another black leg officer, Subaltern Reginald P. Smyth. The Army battalion is now up to 324, officers and other ranks. We did not receive any new Republic Marines, engineers or otherwise. We did, however, increase the amount of NCOs as the Army also received more corporals, sergeants, and colour sergeants.

President McCrae sent word to us via the Secretary of War that we will support the British Empire; however, we will not openly declare war to defend those egg-sucking Frenchies. We also need to prepare for any attempted attack on our territory or our British friends.

Well, the weekly input is short today. I have to get over to the Staff NCO Mess and enjoy some Texican Stout as promised by Chief O’Malley, who smuggled a barrel on board the Santa Fe for us poor parched boys here on Venus. The Chief's not a bad fellow, for an aether-sucking swabbie.

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