Battle Group Castle

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I own zero Castle. Rating: K Time: In an AU future and see below.

Author's note: This is a sequel to Vengeance and to Tercio Corazon Negro.

HMS Dunsmore Castle, in orbit around Harmony.

Peter Jefferson looked to be just another mid-level bureaucrat from the UK's Ministry of Defence. As both Castle and Beckett knew, he was much more than that.

"Please, Colonel Castle, Captain Beckett, sit down. Would you like some coffee?"

Beckett nodded at once and Castle quickly followed.

"James, three coffees, please."

A white coated steward silently brought in a carafe of coffee, cream and sugar and three cups.

As James left, the three busied themselves with their coffees.

"I'll come straight to the point, Colonel Castle. You've done an excellent job here as you did on Big Rock, and before on Tark. We are offering you a permanent contract."

Both were surprised. "I hadn't expected this, sir." Castle said. "Normally, it takes a considerable number of missions before you take on a mercenary unit full time."

Jefferson nodded. "These are difficult times, Colonel. The Europa Cluster Defence Organization is a great success. Perhaps too great a success. The Navy is stretched to the limit escorting convoys for new members. Our shipyards are working around the clock building and repairing ships. We not only build ships for our own navy, but for many of our new partners. Oh, we have partners with good space navies of their own, and fine shipyards, but we are all greatly stretched. And we have more colonies clamoring to join the ECDO. The vast majority of which need our assistance."

Jefferson took a long sip of his coffee. "Naturally, the Han Worlds, and their Chinese backers on Earth aren't cooperating. They're recruiting more pirates and building them better ships. In fact, they've taken to outfitting some of them with very long-range ship killing missiles. If a pirate can't cut out a vessel from a convoy, the Han Worlds will pay them a bonus for shooting at one of the ships, naval or merchant. There's a bigger bonus if they get a hit."

"There's more, of course. The Han Worlds are stepping up their activities all through the Cluster, and beyond. Propaganda, funds for any anti-ECDO groups, advisors, weapons, other equipment and, of course, "volunteer" troops."

"I suppose we'll be quite busy in the future." Beckett said.

"Your wife has a gift for understatement." Jefferson said. "But, she is correct. We had hoped to replace your weapons and equipment with standard UK issue weapons and such. That won't be possible."

"The modified Prussian panzers we now have are excellent machines, sir." Castle said quickly.

"Glad to hear it. We'll be sending you to Galicia aboard Dunsmore Castle, if and when General Hughes allows us to disembark our whole complement."

"Sir, General Hughes has had his planet taken over once before. And remember, Harmony had little contact with anyone for decades at a time. He's liable to be a bit suspicious."

"I suppose." Jefferson conceded. "As I said, we're sending you to Galicia, where you'll get replacement personnel and equipment. We hope to be able to add to your command, but interstellar communication being as slow as they are, I'm not sure what's there for you. One thing, the Winterlanders and their aviation unit will stay with you."

"What about Colonel Esposito, sir. He's done well here."

"That he has, Colonel. But, we're not going to offer him a permanent contract, although there are several hotspots where we could use him. You may see him again, or you may not." Jefferson put down his coffee cup. "That said, I now need to see Colonel Esposito. Why don't you two go to the officers' wardroom. It's just two decks below us. I can guarantee you that the food and drinks are excellent. The Navy always sees to that."

The wardroom was crowded, but as a Colonel, Castle got a seat quickly. As they sat, a holographic menu appeared in front of them.

"Castle, they have cheeseburgers here."

Kate, being from Earth, knew all about cheeseburgers. Tark had no cheeseburgers and they were not popular in the UK. But, Castle found that he loved them. When he could find any that were halfway passable, that is.

"And look at the toppings they have. There's bacon, chili, seven kinds of cheese, barbecue sauce, and they have garlic fries as a side and….milk shakes with seventy one flavors of ice cream." Beckett pointed to the items on the menu.

"I may never leave here." Castle said.

"Oh? You don't like what comes after dinner, Mr. Beckett."

"We could move a bed in here."

Beckett glared the idea right out of Castle's mind.

He spent a long time selecting his dinner and as he did so, a group of army officers in the far corner of the wardroom began to sing.

Kate noticed he was singing along under his breath.

"Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep,"

"Ocean's a royal bed."

"Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep"

"Watch by your weary head."

"What is that you're singing?"

"Oh, it's an old Scots song from pre-spaceflight Earth. They had us learn all of the old songs when I was a cadet at the academy."

As one song ended, another began, but this one was not in English.

"Wele goelcerth wen yn fflamio"

"A thafodau tân yn bloeddio"

"Ar i'r dewrion ddod i daro"

"Unwaith eto'n un"

"Gan fanllefau tywysogion"

"Llais gelynion, trwst arfogion"

"A charlamiad y marchogion"

"Craig ar graig a gryn."

"I notice you aren't singing along with this one." Kate teased.

"I know the English words, but not those. "

Then a group of officers near them stood up and prepared to sing. Castle looked at their insignia. They were Irish, all right. Not just Irish, but the Devil's Own. And when they began to sing, Castle was shocked. They were singing The Ballad of Eskimo Nell, a highly pornographic song.

He snuck a look at Beckett to see how she was reacting and found she was singing right along. He joined in.

In a few minutes their food arrived and they were too busy eating to sing.

When they were done, Kate rested her head on Rick's shoulder. "We're going to be very busy, aren't we?"

"Yes. We'll probably end up being sent from one hot spot to another, but there is a good side to this. When we aren't officially employed, we still get paid, and paid well. We get good equipment without having to pay for it. We'll all get UK medical care and when we can't fight anymore, we'll be pensioned off with enough to live comfortably."

"I suppose so."

"You don't have to come with me, you know. You'd be safer somewhere in the UK."

That got a glare from Kate. "And do what? Have tea with the other colonels' wives? Gossip endlessly? Wonder if our husbands are having affairs with a field wife?"

"That will never happen." Castle broke in.

"I know. I just like to tease you. However, when we start having children, I'll have to stay home."

"Children? Are you pregnant?"

"No, Rick. But I want children. Don't you?"

"Of course. But only with you."

"You'd better say only with me."

"This is going to work out fine." He kissed the top of her head.

As they were leaving the wardroom, they ran into Colonel Esposito.

"Javi, how are you?"

"Fine. I have a job with the ECDO. They don't know where, since there are a couple of places that can use me and my troops, but we're going to Galicia so I can do some recruiting and buy some equipment. And I hear you were hired as well. Any ideas where you'll be sent?"

"Just that we're going to Galicia as well for the same reasons." That wasn't exactly a lie, but no one who was part of one of the UK's permanent mercenary units ever admitted it to anyone. Castle changed the subject.

"Thanks for the help on Harmony, by the way. I heard your conversation over the radio with Davidson when he first arrived. You almost had me convinced that you were going to be neutral. If you'd tried any harder, Davidson would have wanted to hire you."

Esposito shook his head. "I know what working for people like Bracken gets you. You get a bullet in the back of the head."

Kate spoke. "The best thing Javi did was send the Valeria Victrix away from Harmony so she could send a message torpedo to the nearest ECDO base. That's what saved us."

Esposito looked past the two. "I see my new medical officer is coming." He waved at her. "Lanie, over here."

Dr. Parish was not dressed in the uniform of the Tercio, but in a rather revealing red dress.

"Good evening, Dr. Parish. You've joined the Tercio?" Kate asked.

"That I have, so it's Surgeon-Captain Parish now."

"if you'll excuse us?" Javi said. "I believe the kitchen closes soon."

ECDO HEADQUARTERS, GRAND DUCHY OF WARSAW COLONY, PLANET GALICIA

"Right this way, Colonel Castle. Mr. Pennington can see you now." The aide pointed to an open door and left. Castle went through the door.

"Ah, Colonel Castle. So good to meet you at last. Been reading the reports of your actions. Splendid work. Just splendid. Please sit down."

Arthur Pennington actually looked like an ex-soldier, which he was. He was tall, fit, deeply suntanned with a ramrod straight posture and a Brigade of Guards mustache. His clothes were expensive, but Castle guessed they had been made by a military tailor.

"Thank you, sir."

Pennington picked up a pad and studied it for a moment. "We have just received a draft of 2500 replacements, officers, NCOs and private soldiers, all good men. As there's no one else here right now, we've selected what we consider the cream for your replacements. We're adding some extra men to your combat companies so you'll be slightly over staffed when you leave here."

"Where am I going, sir?"

"That we haven't decided yet. As you know, there are all sorts of problems these days. But, don't fear, you'll be heading into action soon."

"Now, we're received enough Puma tanks to add another full tank company to your battalion. We were hoping for more vehicles, but….Alas, there are many, many people who need weapons. We can easily man your new company with the recent draft. We also have more artillery for you. We have a pair of self-propelled 180mm guns, and two more long-range missile system. Should allow your artillery to outrange just about anyone. Lastly, we have a UK assault helicopter company for you, but they're now "mercenaries", of course. The usual scouts, gunships and lift ships. Oh, and we'll be increasing the size of your headquarters company, your communications platoon and your artillery fire direction center to handle all of this. I believe you've already been told that the Winterlander helicopter company will stay with you? We tried to get Winterland to reinforce their company, but they're stretched tight, just like everyone else."

"That's still more than I've ever commanded, sir."

"Ah! That reminds me. Twenty-three Tarkai showed up here, insisting that they would only serve with Colonel Castle. They're on the way to your battalion now. You should hurry long. You have much to do to get your battalion ready for whatever is ahead of it."

Castle hurried.

TBC