Rick Shelley (January 1, 1947 – January 27, 2001) was an American writer of primarily military science fiction.
This is the story of Lon Nolan, and his progression through the ranks of The Dirigent Mercenary Corps.
(DMC) He was originally a cadet at a military academy for the North American Army in Colorado Springs, but was cheated out of his chance to serve in his home land's armed forces when growing political dissent prompted the government to declare that a large portion of the military academy's graduating class would be commissioned into the police forces.
Dirigent's sole industry is war, and the DMC is law.
Lon soon becomes a proficient officer, a proud Dirigenter, and even the father of a corpsman.