by Sam Schall
Ash nodded. It would be hard, but Talbot-Valois was right. She needed to forgive herself and let herself grieve. Perhaps this was the first step in doing so.
“We’d love to, Mila.” She walked to the study door with the woman. “I’ll talk to you later tonight about the honor guard and pall bearers.”
Talbot-Valois turned to face her. As she did, she rested a hand on Ashlyn’s arm. “We both loved him and we both mourn him. Now let’s find a way to avenge him and all the others who died.”
That was one thing Ash was more than happy to promise to do.
6
The morning after Talbot’s memorial service, General Helen Okafor leaned back as she finished reviewing Rico Santiago’s latest intel report. The colonel and his people had worked around the clock since Taskforce Liberator’s return. Part of Santiago’s team slowly combed through all the data the taskforce brought back. Others interviewed the prisoners. As if that wasn’t enough, the investigation into Evan Moreau continued. Not in recent memory had the various intelligence services worked so many different threads that all seemed to lead to the same source: the Callusians. The pressing questions needing immediate answers were question was how much the Midlothians had known, especially about the events in Savitar VI and the biotoxin used there, and how much intel about Fuercon and her allies had they turned over to the Callusians.
Now she faced another possible dilemma, one she had put off dealing with long enough.
“General, they’re here,” her aide announced over the comm.
“Ask Sgt. Major Anisimova to join us. Then send them in,” Okafor said.
“Brigadier General Shaw and Colonel Shaw, ma’am,” the aide said a few moments later. “The sergeant major is on her way.”
“Thank you. Send in coffee for everyone and then make sure we aren’t disturbed.”
With that, the Commandant of the Marine Corps stood and moved around her desk. As she did, the newcomers braced to attention. She held them there for a moment, her eyes missing no detail of their appearance. Other than a faint hint of concern in Elizabeth’s eyes, the woman looked as she always did: competent and ready for action.
Ashlyn, however, was a different matter. She looked drawn. Dark shadows bruised the skin under her eyes and Okafor wondered if she’d gotten much sleep since returning home. Grief etched lines from the bridge of her nose to the corners of her mouth. It would take time for the grief to ease. Fortunately, the guilt Okafor had seen the few times she and Ash crossed paths since Taskforce Liberator’s return appeared to have lessened. Good. Hopefully, Ash was finally coming to terms with what happened. That too, the general knew, would take time.
Unfortunately, unless something changed, they didn’t have much time and she needed Ashlyn back to normal sooner rather than later.
“Have a seat,” she said as the door slid open once again.
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Edita Anisimova stepped inside. She carried a tray with several carafes and four mugs. As the door shut behind her, she crossed the office and placed the tray on the edge of Okafor’s desk. As she poured for everyone, she arched one blonde brow in Okafor’s direction.
“Before we get started, I want to say something.” Okafor noted how both of the Shaws stiffened. Elizabeth cast a quick glance at her daughter before once again turning her attention to the general. “I have no doubt you’ve both already told the families of the fallen to let you know if they need anything. I want to know as well. The Corps will stand by them, no matter what.”
Ash swallowed and her lips thinned into a hard line before she nodded. “I will, ma’am. So far, they seem to be all right.”
Okafor nodded once. “Liz, I want you to push though the paperwork getting them death benefits and any other payouts they are due.”
“My staff is already on it, ma’am,” Elizabeth said.
“Thank you. I knew I could count on you.” She leaned back and sipped her coffee. As she did, she waved for Anisimova to quit hovering and to take a seat.
“I’ve had a chance to review your end of mission reports, Ash. I know you aren’t ready to hear this but I’m going to say it anyway. You and your people did everything possible and it is because of that dedication and hard work we didn’t lose more people. None of us could have anticipated the betrayal by Fonteneau.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Ash glanced down at her mug and then looked up, meeting Okafor’s gaze. “Ma’am, this may be my paranoia speaking, but we need to start considering the possibility of betrayal on a wider scale. This is the second time now our military has been put at a distinct disadvantage by someone we assumed to be an ally.”
“Trust me, Ash, it is something the powers that be are well aware of. Even as we speak, President Harper, SecDef and others are discussing the best way to proceed.” For a moment, Okafor considered if she should say anything more. “The three of you, and especially you, Ash, need to know I have made my concerns very clear not only to FleetCom but to SecDef and President Harper. My oaths as Commandant of the Corps aren’t limited to protecting Fuercon and its interests. They extend to doing everything I can to maintain the strength of the Corps. That includes making sure we aren’t at risk of having our forces wiped out due to betrayal.”
“I’m glad this is now something being considered.” Elizabeth glanced again at her daughter and it was easy to guess what she was thinking. It could just as easily have been Ashlyn’s shuttle that had been destroyed as Talbot’s.
“You worked closely with the medicals on the mission to find a protocol that would keep your people safe and still not put the rest of the taskforce in danger when the Marines returned from Shennong’s surface, Ash. Your reports and theirs have been forwarded to the medical division and the bio-research department. The armorers have been read in. Each of those departments will be reaching out to you to go over your reports. I want you to collaborate with them to see if there is any way to improve on what you and the others came up with.
“Our goal right now is multi-pronged. The first is to do everything possible to ensure our armor can protect our Marines should they be caught groundside when the biotoxin is released again. And we are operating on the assumption Shennong was not a once and done situation. This is exactly the sort of weapon the Callusians can and will use against a major population area in an attempt to intimidate the rest of the allies into surrender. We can’t allow that to happen.”
“I’ll do everything I can to help, General.”
“Of more concern is what protocols should be put into place onboard our ships. The samples taken from the post-battle debris show the biotoxin had been loaded into at least several one of the torpedoes. There is good reason to believe there was more of it still onboard the enemy flagship. I don’t need to tell you what could happen if one of those warheads penetrated a ship’s hull.”
Ash blanched slightly and nodded.
“We can’t be in full armor all the time, General.”
From Anisimova’s tone, Okafor had a pretty good idea she would like nothing more. At least until they had a cure for the biotoxin.
“Admiral Tremayne has recommended ships maintain battle station readiness, at least with regard to compartment hatches. Admiral Collins agreed with the recommendation and that means FleetCom is taking it seriously. As Admiral Tremayne noted, it will make moving through the ship more inconvenient, but it will hopefully contain the spread of the biotoxin should it be introduced to a ship.”
“What about ventilation systems?” Ash asked, placing her mug on the floor at her feet.
“FleetCom is still working on the best way to handle that complication. My guess is that by the end of the week, new protocols, both for while in battle and for when approaching a new system, will be ready for presentation to FleetCom. This is where you, Liz and Edita come into play. I want the three of you to work together to formulate new protocols for our front-line Marines.”
“Are we to assume the new protocols have been put into place or not?”
Elizabeth asked.
“Both. It will take time to get the word out and to get armor updated. So walk them through the safety measures you took, Ash, and the whys of it. Add the new protocol after that.”
“Understood, ma’am.”
“Once that’s done, we’ll be meeting with Admiral Collins and his team to compare notes and refine everything before presenting it to FleetCom.”
Okafor lifted her mug and frowned to find it empty. Almost instantly, Anisimova was there to refill it before offering to refill everyone else’s mugs.
“Liz, Ash, you need to know one more thing. The elements of the division not already moving into place for the push to the Callusian home system will remain in-system until the new protocols are finalized and we are sure the home system is protected. That means the Navy will be moving some of its elements around. I will also be moving some of our elements around to make sure we have enough ships and bodies in place to repel the Callusians if they decide to come after Fuercon with the biotoxin.”
“General,” Ashlyn all but growled. “The longer we wait, the longer they have to recover from losing Dadd and his ships. Hell, it means they have longer to deploy the biotoxin at a new target.”
“That is unfortunate but it is necessary.”
“The hell it is!” Ash exploded out of her chair.
Okafor shook her head quickly, stopping both Elizabeth and Anisimova from responding. Instead, she leaned back and watched as Ash stalked across the office. She’d expected the reaction and, in a way, was glad to see it. The younger woman had been holding her emotions under too tight of control since before Lucinda Ortega’s death. She would rather have Ash lose control here, among those who cared for her and who could talk her down, than to have it happen in the middle of battle where it could get her and others killed.
“General, we have the advantage,” Ashlyn said as she turned to face them. “The fact they haven’t used the biotoxin against another target seems to confirm our suspicion that they are not yet producing it in large quantities. We can’t afford to wait until they can do so. Nor can we afford to wait for someone to step into Dadd’s shoes, someone who may be even more ruthless and unpredictable than he was.”
“And we can’t afford to send ships and personnel into battle without making sure they are prepared to deal with the biotoxin.”
Ashlyn’s hands fisted at her side.
“General, you weren’t there. You didn’t see an entire planet wiped out by a biological. No life other than vegetation survived. The biotoxin acts quickly, usually within less than an hour. It is an agonizing death. We can’t wait. If we do and they hit another planet, those deaths will be on us. Can you live with that? Because I sure as hell can’t.”
“Colonel, would you rather have more dead Marines on our hands?”
“General!” Elizabeth snapped as Ashlyn went as still as stone.
“General Okafor, if you have to ask that, then it is time for me to resign my commission.” Ashlyn spoke slowly, almost robotically. As she did, she reached into the thigh pocket of her trousers and pulled out her ID. She glanced briefly at it before tossing it onto Okafor’s desk.
“Everyone, shut up and take a breath!” Anisimova ordered. She leaned over and grabbed up the ID and carried it back to Ashlyn. As she shoved it into the younger woman’s hand, she jabbed a finger in the direction of the chair Ash occupied earlier. “Sit down and don’t say a word, not a fucking word – ma’am.”
Okafor fought the urge to smile. She knew she’d taken a risk by pushing Ash. A risk not just with Ashlyn but with Elizbeth as well. Both were on edge and for good reason. But she needed them thinking and not just reacting. She only hoped she hadn’t gone too far.
“Now, before you do something exceptionally stupid and that would force me to kick your ass, Colonel, you are going to sit there and listen to what the general has to say. Trust me, if she doesn’t explain pretty damned quickly, it may be her ass I’m kicking.”
The look the sergeant major sent her had Okafor fighting to hold back her laugh.
“And you are going to remember that each of us knows we may give up our lives in the defense of Fuercon and her allies whenever we leave home. That’s what we signed up for when we joined the Corps. Honor your dead by remembering what they fought for and why they did so. Don’t you dare blame yourself for what happened. If you do, I swear I will find a way to resurrect Talbot just so he can join me in kicking your ass—ma’am.”
“Be careful, Durga, or I’ll find a way to poach you from this cushy assignment.” Ashlyn’s threat rang hollow even as her eyes danced with laughter.
“I dare you to, ma’am.”
“And I will bust all three of you down to private if you try,” Okafor countered. This was not going the way she expected. Even so, it was a relief to see Ashlyn letting go of her anger, at least for the moment.
“As for your concerns, Ash, I assure you we aren’t just sitting here waiting to see what the Callusians do next. Our forward elements are continuing with their mission. There has been one change to their orders, however. They are to harass any Callusian elements they come across. The point is to keep focus on them as they lead the Callusians away from the enemy home system. We have to keep them from taking too close of a look at what we are doing. It will also, hopefully, give our allies time to strengthen their own defenses because when we make the final push, we will be pulling much of our support from all the allied systems. President Harper wants to end this war once and for all.
“But we have to be smart about it. That is why we’re taking the steps I laid out. If you have a problem with it, you either learn to live with it or I will transfer you to another division. Don’t doubt that for one moment. I don’t want to, and it would weaken our forces if I do. But I can’t have a loose cannon running the 10th. So decide here and now whether you are going to follow orders or move on.”
She pinned Ashlyn with a firm look that all but dared the younger woman to say anything except “yes, ma’am.”
Ash held Okafor’s gaze for a moment, then she dropped her head into her hands. Silence filled the room as they waited, giving her the time she needed. Elizabeth reached over and gently rubbed her daughter’s back. Anisimova stood between Okafor’s desk and the two women, her expression still thunderous. Okafor had a feeling her sergeant major would have more than a few choice words once they were alone.
Not that she didn’t deserve them.
When Ashlyn looked up, Okafor waited. Had the woman finally broken? She wouldn’t blame Ash if she had. No one could go through everything she had the last few years without being scarred both physically and emotionally. The question was if those scars were so deep she couldn’t come back from them.
Without a word, Ash stood and braced to attention. She remained that way until Okafor nodded, giving her permission to speak. The general’s pulse quickened as she wondered what the younger woman wanted to say.
“General Okafor, General Shaw, Sgt. Major Anisimova, my apologies for my behavior. There are no excuses. I was insubordinate and disrespectful. I did not live up to the standard I demand of those under my command. If you feel discipline is required, I won’t object.”
Okafor sighed and then hid her grin behind her hand as Anisimova rolled her eyes. Knowing the sergeant major as well as she did, she decided to let her speak first. With a dip of her chin, she leaned back and watched as Anisimova moved to stand in front of Ashlyn. As she did, Elizabeth stood, her expression wary.
“Colonel Shaw, are you trying to force me to kick your ass?”
Anisimova’s tone was conversational and Okafor chuckled softly. She’d seen the woman use that same tone too many times before ripping some poor private, or junior officer, a new one. From the way Ashlyn’s eyes widened slightly before she had her expression under control again, Okafor guessed she knew what the woman was up to as well.
“Negative, Sgt. Major.” Ashlyn continued to look forward, her eyes focused on some point above Okafo
r’s head.
“Then would you explain why you are showing even less common sense than a certain butter bar did when I first met her?”
Now Elizabeth chuckled and relaxed as she returned to her seat.
“I believe that butter bar would be doing the same thing I am now, Sgt. Major.” Ash cut her eyes to where Anisimova stood before once again looking straight ahead. “And the senior officer that butter bar became knows she fucked up. Pardon the language, General Okafor.”
“The language is appropriate to the situation, Colonel.” Okafor stood and strode around her desk to stand next to Anisimova. “I have one question for you, Colonel. Do you want to help defeat the Callusians once and for all and make sure that what happened to you and your people, to the citizens of Shennong happens to no one else?”
“That’s two questions, ma’am.” Ashlyn’s lips twitched as she fought her smile. “But the answer is yes.”
“Then stand easy and relax.” She waited until Ashlyn did as she ordered. Then she reached out and rested a hand on the younger woman’s arm. “Ash, you have to forgive yourself for what happened to Talbot. I know you mourn the deaths of all those under your command, especially those on the shuttle. But I also know it is Talbot’s death that haunts you. Each of us have been there. We understand what you are feeling and we know what it takes to move on. Talk to us. Let us help you. The Corps needs you at your best right now and Talbot wouldn’t thank you for retreating into guilt or into a bottle.”
Ashlyn swallowed hard before nodding once.
“I want you and the good sergeant major here to put your heads together now. Pull together some exercises to keep your people busy. They need to work through their own anger and grief. Then get started on new protocols. Captain Adamson and Lieutenant Connery can oversee the regiment today.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Dismissed.”
She watched as the two left her office. As the door shut behind them, she blew out a long breath and dropped onto the chair next to Elizabeth.
