Casserine Read Online Free

reason for a change in policy, but why not another marine?”
    “Your hearing may have been affected on Omaha after all, Captain,” Risling laughed. “I told you, we don’t have even one guy to fill in for you, at least not voluntarily. If you were no longer able to go down there, we would have had to put one there against his will, which makes for an unmotivated guardian.”
    “I have no objection to Lieutenant Byers billeting at Casserine, but I just wish I could make it clear what she will be subjecting herself to. I am admittedly a weirdo, and I told the Lieutenant as much; but I have been there over four years, and I still want to go back. She may not be thrilled once we get there.”
    “You would help her, would you not, Captain?” Risling asked.
    “Yes Sir, I would do everything in my power to help her get throughit.”
    “That’s all I ask,” Byers said. “I know you can’t spend every waking moment baby-sitting someone who went to Casserine against all of your warnings.”
    “Good,” Risling put in. “We have a cruiser ready to take you two whenever Captain Matthews says he can go. We will have it supplied with everything extra Lieutenant Byers will need, including supplements. The only change in policy will be to take you off Casserine every three months for a few days. When I heard they just left you there after I took command, I could not believe it.”
    “I volunteered, Sir.”
    “Forget the reasoning, Captain. We at least need to know if you start to show signs of cracking up, or some physical disability. It went against good judgment. You guard a very valuable base of supply.” Risling paused for a moment, looking pointedly at Jake. “We need to do a better job monitoring the effects of the traces of Queen’s poison still in your system, coupled with this extended time on Casserine.”
    “I understand Sir, just so I…or I mean we, do not get taken off very often, or for very long. It can be hell getting back used to the Rock.”
    “I realize the situation, Captain, but we need to track your physical condition more closely from now on.” Risling turned to Byers. “Lieutenant, how long before the Captain can return in a medical sense?”
    “We repaired the damage anatomically, Sir. The bandage can come off today. He will experience quite a bit of pain for a while I imagine.”
    “I’ll be a lot worse if I am off of the Rock any longer. I would like to leave tomorrow, if my time sense hasn’t deserted me entirely.”
    “I do not want you down on Casserine, Captain, if you can not function.”
    “Tomorrow I will know about the pain, Sir, and I can back off if I think I will have problems.”
    “Very well, Jake,” Risling shook hands with him again. “It has been a pleasure meeting you. I want you to come see me whenever you come up to get checked.”
    “I will, Sir.”
    “Good luck, Lieutenant, I hope things go well for you. We will not be sending another ship there for three months. The Tennyson is the only transport, which makes regular trips between Casserine and Genoa. We will only take you off as a life or death situation before that. Clear enough foryou?”
    “Yes Sir, I will see you in three months.”
    When they were back in the passageway, Byers turned to Jake. “Thank you for going along with this. Would you like to go somewhere for a drink?”
    “No, Ma’am, and I would advise you not to have one either. Coffee, tea, water, and soupy type foods should make up your only nourishment until we leave. You will greatly regret anything else in your stomach.”
    “Thanks for the warning,” Byers replied. “I had planned on getting a little juiced just so I could relax before we leave.”
    “You could, but you would be a lot better off being a little pumped up from lack of sleep, rather than what you had in mind. Would you take me back to my room, and take off this bandage so we can see how big my head has gotten?”
    “Sure, Jake,” she laughed, “but it won’t