Chapter 7

Earth, August 3, 2161 The Erie Canal

A twenty-nine-foot-long pontoon pleasure barge moved out from the Scarlett family dock on a beautiful August morning. The electric motor was silent as it propelled the pontoon boat to the center of the canal, then rotated on its axis and headed west. This was a party barge, its deck was lined with ornate fencing and couches, the forward four feet of deck was a swim platform. It had a folding fabric roof that had fold-down sides to provide privacy and protect from rain. Shade trees hung over the canal, and songbirds chirped and sang. Gentle music from a house on shore played as they drifted past. The warm air was hazy with humidity, and all was peaceful. On the stern was the name of the boat, The Moon Maiden.

As they made their way up the ancient channel, Alan took out a guitar and strummed it, then he began singing a lively tune:

Oh, we built a fishing boat, and we all thought it would float It was such an ugly bitch, and we sealed it up with pitch So we christened it with beer, and it sank right off the pier We were glad when the bad ship went down...

“What the hell did that mean?” laughed Eris.

“Your brother-in-law has studied the history of pilot’s drinking songs,” Pandora whispered in Eris’s ear. “Don’t get him started.”

Oh, it was bad! Yes, we were glad! We were glad when the bad ship went down To the bottom of the ... Angry and sore the Berserkers walked to shore We were glad when the bad ship when down.

Alan had several verses, most of them very uncomplimentary to the command structure of the Western Alliance Navy, and he had the marines rocking. They joined in on the chorus as Alex continued on with the verses and the marines were soon singing with the gusto of a drunken fighter pilot.

We tried to save the weak as the ship sprang a leak And the band played up on deck but it didn’t save the wreck So we threw them down below where they would be first to go We were glad when the bad ship went down.

On the pontoon boat was Alan Scarlett, retired commander of the Strike Force Berserkers, Pandora Vermillion, current commander of the Strike Force Berserkers, Eris Carmine, The Scrapper, and three marines PFC Hector Tubbs, Lance Corporal Ben Smithson, and Staff Sergeant Alex Rodriguez. The kids were still asleep at home with grandma and Admiral grandpa watching. This was a pleasure cruise and business meeting.

“Why do you have different names than your father?” asked Marine Staff Sergeant Alex. “How did you get the name Vermillion and Eris is Carmine? You’re twins but when you married you remained Vermillion.”

“You were probably born on Earth,” said Pandora.

“Close, my folks were 100% Marine Corps. I was born on Camp Schmitt and stayed there until I enlisted and became a Martian Marine.” Camp Schmitt is the only 100% Marine Space Station in the solar system. It’s in a geosynchronous orbit 22,236 miles above Camp Lejeune. As for Martian Marine, there’s no military units on Mars, but they allowed Scarlett Water Services to “host” a unit of Marines for water security. Only Marines from the 15th Marine Corps were allowed on Mars.

During the war of 2085, a Marine Unit landed on Mars and restored order in the colonies. Once the peace treaties were signed, the Marines left, but ever since then the 15th Marine Corps has been known as the Martian Marines and they were the only men and women allowed to wear a uniform on Mars.

“It’s traditional for people born on Luna to choose their own last name when they graduate high school,” said Pandora. “Eris and I picked names that matched our hair.”

“Carmine is red?” asked Hector.

“Blood red,” snarled Eris.

“Same with you? Sir?” Ben asked Alan.

“No, Scarlett is a family name. It’s reserved for the family of the first settlers of Mars.” He then looked a little bleak. “I’m the last remaining Martian named Scarlett.”

“Which is why I am going to change my name,” said Pandora. She eased her tiny butt into Alan’s lap. “On duty I’m still Colonel Vermillion, but off duty I am Pandora Scarlett. I didn’t want to see the Scarlett name die out after I found out about Venus prime.”

The marines nodded; the Battle of Venus Prime is a legend among the Marine Corps. A carrier battle group was overwhelmed by Eastern Bloc forces, but it cost the Eastern Bloc severely. The Eastern Bloc group masquerading as pirates struck from the massive station, Venus Prime, with over 500 fighters, they were wiped out in the first wave. Unfortunately for the Western Alliance Navy, their fighters were drawn into the lethal range of artillery that was secretly installed on the station. The Navy fighters were slaughtered, but not before taking out the remaining Eastern Bloc fighters.

In the end, the Eastern Bloc captured two destroyers, but the power plants on the destroyers were demolished by the overwhelmed defenders, so in the end the attackers gained two drifting hulks and became prisoners once the Navy arrived and recaptured the destroyers. Assault troops who tried to take the carrier were slaughtered, but so were the carriers’ defenders. Very few survivors were found, and of the carrier fighter squadrons, only two people survived, a Chief Petty Officer who was on family leave, and Captain Scarlett.