by Lucas Marcum
Admiral Ozawa said again in his firm, clear voice, “Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to Task Force Mercy.”
****
Following the crowd of officers as they filed out the back of the theater, Elizabeth’s mind whirled. Why her? Why not reassign her to the Army and send her back out? She resolved to ask the first person she could who’d give her some answers. From behind, a hand touched her arm. Startled, she jumped and turned. A young-looking man in a Navy uniform with the eagle insignia of a captain on his collar stood there.
He looked apologetic as he said, “Major Suarez, I apologize. I didn’t mean to startle you. Do you have a moment?” He gestured over to the side of the hallway, out of the path of the moving soldiers and sailors.
Hesitating, she asked, “Will I miss the bus? The admiral said…”
With a broad grin, the young officer replied, “Don’t worry about that. I work for Rear Admiral Saunderson. That’s actually why I’m here.” He held out a hand to shake. Confused, she shook it as the man continued talking, “I’m Captain Jason Hara. I’m here to give you an invitation to tea with Admiral Ozawa tomorrow and to go over a few things.”
With a skeptical look, Elizabeth regarded the other officer. “Kinda young for a full captain, aren’t you, sir?”
His smile faltered slightly. “The fleet’s making rank fast these days.” The broad grin returned, and he continued cheerfully, “Anyway, there’s so many flag officers running around here at FleetCom, I might as well be an ensign again!” He then gestured toward the door, and they started to walk toward the lot where the private vehicles sat, and remarked, “It’s just nice to talk to someone from the best place in human space: The great state of California!”
Suppressing a grin, Elizabeth replied, “So you’ve done your homework, Captain. Where in Cali?”
“Fresno, but I went to UCSF because I have family in San Fran. Went right into the fleet after.” He shook his head and said somberly, “Feels like a thousand years ago.”
Elizabeth nodded and replied, “Yeah. Sure does.” The two fell silent for a moment, then she asked, “So, a meeting with Admiral Ozawa?”
Jason snapped his fingers. “Oh, yeah! See, here I was so excited to meet someone from civilization, I forgot what I was doing. Here.” He tapped his datapad, and moments later her phone chimed. He continued, “So, that’s the place and time. We’ll send a car for you, as the admiral’s office is way up in Tharsis Province. It’s pretty, but it’s way out there. You can see Pavonis Mons from his office. You’ll never see another view like it in known space.” He paused, then said, “Listen, the admiral…he’s sort of old fashioned.”
Elizabeth cocked her head at this. “What do you mean?”
Jason scrunched up his face and thought for a moment, then attempted to explain, “He’s like something from a history program about ancient Japan. He’s forgotten more about naval and Japanese history than most people will ever know, and his ancestors have defended Japan from enemies for thousands of years. He’s from an old, old family of naval officers, and before that, samurai.” He paused, then grinned. “Needless to say, he takes tea very seriously, and it’s quite an honor to be invited to have it with him, in his private offices, no less. So, here’s what you do. Follow his lead. You’ll be shown in by one of the staff, and he’ll greet you like an old friend. Then you’ll sit and talk about things while he prepares the tea. Family, art, flowers, starships, you know, that sort of stuff. Just go with the flow. Don’t initiate business talk until he does. Once he starts to discuss it, it’s just a regular meeting with the admiral.”
Apparently seeing the worry on Elizabeth’s face, Jason laughed. “Major, it’s going to be fine. I just wanted to give you a heads up. Here, let me give you a lift back to your place so you can grab your things. We’re moving everyone attached to Task Force Mercy out of regular Navy billeting and into private rooms in the Huxley Hotel, since you’ll all be here for a while.”
Impressed, Elizabeth replied, “The Huxley Hotel, huh? That’s pretty fancy. Not sure I could swing that on a major’s pay, but if you guys are buying…”
Jason shrugged and responded, “I’m not sure I could afford it on a captain’s pay either, but almost all of the Huxley Crater is now under UEA jurisdiction. Hospitals, local government, all points of entry, everything. Almost the entire city is now dedicated to Task Force Mercy and its mission. It’s a logical place, since the main fleet logistics center is there, and so is the headquarters for the First Fleet, so we have a ton of infrastructure there already. We’re actually considering renaming it to reflect its new mission.”
Elizabeth considered this and said again, “Lotta money behind this operation.”
With an infectious grin, the young man replied, “You don’t know the half of it! The prime minister is considering this equal to a separate theater of war. She’s serious about this. We have everything and everyone we need, and a lot of crap we don’t. She doesn’t want the Elai to come back as a threat, and she plans to make that happen by bringing them in close as allies and partners.”
With a shudder, Elizabeth thought about that, and then said, “What if we’re fundamentally incompatible? I’ve seen them up close. Really close. Sir, they’re…well. They aren’t like us.”
The other officer shrugged. “Call me Jason. We’re going to be working together a lot.” He paused now standing next to the car, and said somberly, “And I suspect if we’re fundamentally incompatible, well…somewhere, someone in the UEA probably has a plan for that, too.”
He gestured at the car, and they climbed in and headed toward the city.
****
Private Offices of the Admiral of the First Fleet
Tharsis Province, Mars
Elizabeth stepped out of the aircar and nodded at the driver. She watched it move toward the far end of the vehicle entry lock, cycle the mechanism, then pull out and accelerate smoothly into the red-tinted sky. With a last, nervous check of her dress uniform, she stepped toward the entrance. As she lifted her hand to ring, the door swung open, and a tiny older woman in a tidy uniform opened the door. She gestured courteously, and Elizabeth stepped in. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the antechamber, she could see two power-armored Marines with sidearms behind a security desk.
The Marine at the desk said politely, “Major Suarez, if I could see your ID card please, and have you step over to the scanner?” Retrieving her card from her uniform pocket, Elizabeth handed it to the Marine and placed her hand on the scanner.
After a moment, the second Marine said, “Genetic identity confirmed. Major Elizabeth Suarez. Welcome to Tharsis House.”
Replacing the ID card in her pocket, she commented wryly, “Sort of a lot of security for a secure location on a secure planet, isn’t it?”
The first Marine shook his head with a serious look. “Not as secure as you might think, ma’am.”
Elizabeth regarded him for a moment, then replied, “Ah. Insurrectionists.”
With a grimace, the second Marine agreed, “Yes, ma’am. The security situation is…volatile.”
“I had no idea.” Elizabeth considered this as the Marines printed her a visitor’s pass. Accepting the pass, she said, “Thanks, fellas. Be safe.”
The young Marine nodded. “You too, ma’am. Follow Mrs. Lang; she’ll take you to the admiral’s office.”
The tiny woman was waiting by the door, silently. She motioned Elizabeth through, then guided her through the old, Earth-style dwelling. Surprisingly, much of it was made of wood, with exquisite, carved panels of dark wood lining the wide halls, and polished marble floors. Elizabeth marveled at this, as transporting it must have cost a fortune at the time it was built. Guided by her silent companion, they quickly arrived outside a large set of double doors. Mrs. Lang opened one, and then ushered Elizabeth inside. She saw that the decor had changed. This room was well lit from muted light sources, and paintings in the old Japanese style hung tastefully on the walls. There were two carefully
trimmed bamboo plants to either side of a sliding door, and a couch. The doors they’d entered through clicked closed behind her, and Elizabeth paused, unsure what to do. Her guide moved past her silently, slid open the sliding doors ahead, and bowed as she did so, gesturing the young woman inside.
Stepping forward, Elizabeth felt as if she’d traveled backward in time. To her right and dominating the room was a large picture window. Through the window loomed the distant mountain she knew to be Pavonis Mons. Directly in front of the window was a low table, with a tea set and a gently glowing charcoal brazier under a clay teapot. To the left of the room was an alcove, with a suit of ancient armor and a pair of equally old swords underneath it. There was a small altar with several pictures of different people, all appearing Japanese. Some of the photographs seemed very old. In front of her at a large polished oak desk sat Admiral Ozawa. He had close-trimmed white hair and was wearing a dark tunic with a small upturned collar. He wore no rank or decorations. The admiral was reading piece of paper, which he set down as Elizabeth entered. On the desk in front of him was a small piece of twisted, half-melted metal mounted on a polished pedestal with the inscription, ‘August 6, 1945’. He stood and returned Mrs. Lang’s bow, and the woman retreated.
Not knowing what to do, Elizabeth saluted, and said, “Major Elizabeth Suarez, reporting as ordered, Sir.”
Admiral Ozawa returned her salute and, coming out from behind his desk, offered her a hand to shake. Elizabeth noted with some surprise that his grip was strong, and his hands were rougher than she might have expected.
“Major Suarez, thank you for joining me. I do appreciate your making the journey. Was it difficult?” His voice was calm and kind, but firm.
Politely, Elizabeth replied, “No, sir. It was a very pleasant flight, courtesy of your aircar diver. He’s very skilled. He told me the winds this time of year can be tricky, but the ride was as smooth as glass.”
With a slight smile, the old officer nodded. “Indeed. Arthur used to be a Viper pilot, until he was injured. He can’t travel in space anymore, but he’s an excellent pilot, and can fly in almost any weather.” He gestured to the low table. “Will you join me?”
Elizabeth followed the admiral to the small table and paused again at the view of the ancient volcano in the distance. High above the bulk of the mountain were swirls of white clouds forming a series of patterns like a hole in the sky.
Noticing her gaze, Ozawa said, “Pavonis Mons. The mountain that touches the stars. One of the mightiest volcanoes on Mars. I grew up in Shizuoka Prefecture, and my boyhood bedroom faced Mount Fuji.” He paused, staring at the mountain. After a moment he said, “Pavonis is no Mount Fuji, but it is a mighty mountain, and the view is inspiring. I feel connected to my home from here.” He knelt at the small table and gestured for her to sit across from him. Elizabeth watched him mixing and pouring the tea, his movements deliberate and graceful. As he prepared the beverage, he said, “My family comes from a long line of soldiers and warriors.” After a pause, he said, “As do yours.”
Slightly surprised, Elizabeth said, “Sir? My father was in the Dionysus Campaign, and I think his dad was in the Troubles, but I don’t know that we’re a family of warriors. My dad runs an upholstery shop. I’m a nurse. The rest of my was mostly farmers.”
With a slight smile, the admiral poured steaming water over the tea leaves, releasing the sweet, musky scent of the steeping tea into the room. He said, “Perhaps that’s what they call themselves, but there’s an old phrase: ‘It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener caught in a war.’ I’m sure you’ve heard it.”
“Yes, sir. I have.”
With another deft move, the older man poured the tea into two very small cups and, gesturing her to wait to take it, he said, “Did you father ever tell you he and I had met? On Dionysus?”
Puzzled, Elizabeth cocked her head and replied, “No, sir. I had no idea.”
With a slight smile, the admiral offered her the cup of tea and continued, “Oh, yes. I was a new lieutenant commander, leading a Viper squadron, and he was a newly promoted staff sergeant. The insurrection there was quite nasty, for supposedly poorly armed colonials. The insurrectionists managed to shoot down several Navy fighters and were holding the pilots hostage. Your father and two squads of determined soldiers infiltrated through the insurrectionists’ lines and rescued the pilots. The resulting firefight should have left most of the would-be rescue party dead, but with your father’s leadership and composure under fire, they managed to rescue the pilots, stay organized, and perform a fighting retreat back to the UEA lines.” He regarded Elizabeth for a moment, then added, “I was one of those pilots. I owe your father a great deal.”
Elizabeth tried and failed to contain her surprise. “I had no idea, sir. He doesn’t talk about it much. Just that it was rough coming home.” She sipped the tea and was surprised at how mellow but complex the flavor was.
Ozawa continued, “Yes. It was tough on us all. Your father was most fortunate he met your mother. A truly wonderful woman, full of life and love. You have my sympathies on her loss, and my deepest apologies for the lateness of the condolences.” He paused and looked down at his cup, then back up. “She very likely saved his life.”
Elizabeth considered this for a moment, then said, “Why did he never talk about you? I mean, he talked about Louie and Mike.”
With a wry smile, Ozawa said, “Sergeants O’Bannon and Bermudez lived in your town. I was further away. We still write letters to each other on occasion.”
Looking down at her steaming teacup, then back up, Elizabeth replied, “I never knew. I wonder why he didn’t tell me?”
With a gentle smile, Ozawa responded kindly, “How will you tell your children about what you saw on Desolation? Will you tell them of the horrors of the jungles on Paradise? What do parents say when their children ask what they did in war?”
Elizabeth looked out the window at the silent, eternal shape of Pavonis Mons in the distance and replied quietly, “I guess that’s a good point.”
There was a companionable moment of silence, then the admiral said, “Let us retire to the desk. We have a few matters to discuss.” Drinking the last of his tea, he rose and moved toward his desk, with Elizabeth following suit.
As she sat in the leather backed chair in front of the admiral’s desk, Elizabeth looked at the twisted piece of melted metal mounted on the plaque.
Seeing her studying it, the naval officer explained, “That’s a piece from Shima Hospital in Hiroshima, in Old Japan. It was destroyed on August 6, 1945 at 8:15 AM by the old American Army Air Forces when they dropped the first nuclear weapon in combat. Some one hundred and fifty thousand civilians were killed in the blast and fires that came after.” He paused, then continued with a slightly regretful tone, “The Japanese Empire was defeated at the time, but they weren’t willing to admit it yet.” Eyeing the piece of metal, he added, “A brutal end to a brutal war.” With a wry smile, he added, “Perhaps all too apt a historical example, considering the current circumstances.”
The admiral picked up a piece of paper and regarded it before sitting down. In a different tone, more military and less familiar than previously, he said, “Major, having reviewed your records, I have two assignments for you. The first, during the formation of Task Force Mercy, you will be tasked as an assistant to my G3, Fleet General Operations Officer Admiral Saunderson. You will be assisting in long-range planning. The team you’ll be a part of will be the driving force behind the plans to get the relief mission onto the Elai home world. It’s an enormous task, so I hope your affairs at home are in order. This will be as busy as any deployment you’ve ever been on.”
Nodding, Elizabeth silently tried to make sense of this.
The admiral continued speaking, “The second and more important task is you’re going to be deputy commander of operations for the Elai Capital District when Task Force Mercy sets sail. Your assignment will be to provide Admiral Saunderson with the support he n
eeds for the UEA forces occupying the Elai capital city, and civilian support of their healthcare infrastructure, if required.”
Trying and failing to contain her shock, Elizabeth opened and closed her mouth, then said, “Sir…that’s…why me?”
Calmly folding his hands on the desk in front of him, Admiral Ozawa replied, “Several reasons, Major. You have combat experience, and you’ve proven you can think under fire, which is incredibly important. Your previous performance as the acting deputy commander of clinical operations for the field hospital on Paradise was excellent, and Colonel Assad, your former hospital commander, highly recommended you. Last, and perhaps most important of all, your psychological testing after both of your previous close combat experiences demonstrates that you don’t have a shred of xenophobia in you. It shows that you grieve for your friends and the soldiers you were unable to save, but you don’t blame the Elai. It suggests you blame yourself, and combined with adequate coping mechanisms, this lack of personal animosity toward them would make you an excellent candidate for positions that require close cooperation with their military and civilian infrastructure.”
Elizabeth sat silently for a moment, then nodded and said softly, “I want to hate them, but I can’t. They might not even know what they did was wrong. We don’t know them. They’ve done terrible things but…who’s to say what’s terrible?” Her eyes flicked to the melted piece of metal sitting on the desk between them.
Ozawa nodded gravely. “Indeed. Yet another demonstration of why you are well suited for this role.” Pausing, he regarded the young woman closely and said, “I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that this is all new territory. We need people who re adaptable and can think on the move, as there will undoubtedly be major changes to this plan as circumstances dictate.” He frowned slightly and continued, “Of course, a major is far too junior to perform in such a role. You’re to be breveted immediately to lieutenant colonel and will retain the rank upon leaving your duty position pending satisfactory performance.”
