“Yes, First Sergeant,” Berg said, instantly. “I wish to volunteer for this unit.”

“Shiny,” the first sergeant said with a sigh, “you’re in. But if we get the time, I’m going to put you in the tank and see how you really handle pressure. Welcome to the Space Marines, PFC Bergstresser. Semper Fi Ad Astra, if you will.”

“Holy maulk,” Berg whispered when his new platoon sergeant led him into the platoon office. “He wasn’t kidding.”

On the wall was a large poster, placed in much the same way that a corporate motivational poster might be hung. But this poster was a picture taken in space of a portion of what could only be a spaceship, the top of which was lined with suits of Wyvern armor. Over each suit was a name and he quickly picked out First Sergeant Powell as well as his platoon sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant Josh Hocieniec.

And there was no question it was a picture. Even with all the advances in computer generated images, it was still possible to spot CGI. This was, unquestionably, a picture. They might have been digitized in, but it didn’t look like it.

“No, Top wasn’t kidding,” the senior NCO said. Hocieniec was shaved bald, short, barely over regulation height unless Berg was much wrong, and skinny. He looked as if he could barely carry himself around much less battle rattle. “You just joined the Space Marines. The maulky part, for you, is that the rest of us have been training for this for a year or more. And we’re leaving day after tomorrow.”