Fire from Ashes

by Sam Schall

  Two hours later, Tremayne ended the briefing. As the others began filing out of the room, Ash glanced at her mother. Without seeming to see her daughter looking in her direction, Elizabeth reached up and tapped two fingers against her left temple. Then she repeated the motion. The left side of her mouth quirked up briefly before Ash schooled her features back to neutral. She knew that signal. Her mother had used it since she was a child. It was Elizabeth’s way of telling her they needed to talk in private. Two fingers meant two hours. Ash coughed softly, covering her mouth with her hand. When she did, Elizabeth nodded once. Trusting her mother to get word to her later about where and exactly when to meet, Ash stood and gathered her things. Then she motioned for Connery to come with her. They had a great deal to do and not much time in which to do it.

  New Kilrain, Fuercon

  “What do you mean they’ve moved a number of ships and Marines out-system?”

  D’anil Kalmár stared at Elwyn Fertig in disbelief. In the weeks since their new understanding, they had settled into a working relationship that utilized their strongest talents. He worked other members of the diplomatic corps in the capital. She worked in the shadows, milking her sources for any information they could give her. Unfortunately, there had been a dearth of any real information and now they might know why.

  “My source at the space port told me today that First Fleet, supplemented with elements from several of the other fleets, left on training maneuvers a week ago,” Fertig said as she dropped onto one of the two chairs in front of his desk.

  “And?” he prompted. There had to be more to it or she wouldn’t have bothered him with the information.

  “It doesn’t make sense. After the attempted invasion, they wouldn’t have pulled First Fleet out, especially not after reinforcing it with additional elements.”

  “Did your source say which ships replaced First Fleet?”

  She nodded. “Second Fleet.”

  He cursed softly. First Fleet was formidable. Second Fleet, with its new general warships, was doubly so. Whatever the Fuerconese were up to, it wasn’t playing wargames. But what?

  “And the Marines?”

  She huffed out a breath and frowned. “My contact didn’t know for sure but he swore he saw Ashlyn Shaw and members of the Devil Dogs, as well as at least three other Marine units, shuttling up to the ships that pulled out.”

  He clamped his mouth shut to keep from cursing. Then he moved around his desk. He needed to think. The Fuerconese were up to something, no doubt about it. He’d heard nothing about it from other diplomats. That might not mean anything or it might mean everything. His task was to figure out which.

  “Do you have a current location on the ships?”

  “No. All I know for sure is they are no longer in the system.”

  He leaned against the desk and closed his eyes. What was Harper up to?

  “I assume you’ve heard nothing from Watchman that might give a clue about what’s going on.”

  Fertig shook her head. “Nor has his contractor here said anything.”

  Something about the way she said it caused Kalmár to look at her closely. She didn’t meet his gaze for a moment. Seeing it, he knew there was more to this so-called contractor than Fertig said. Curious, more than a little suspicious, he decided to make a side trip on his way home that evening. It was time to put eyes on Fertig, eyes who would report back to him and not try to withhold information.

  “I suggest you keep looking,” he said. “And I will do the same. The Fuerconese are up to something and you know as well as I do that Watchman will blame us if they do anything to upset his plans.”

  Whatever those plans might be.

  One hour after leaving the embassy, Elwyn Fertig strolled into a café far from Embassy Row. As she did, a smile touched her lips. No one glancing in her direction would recognize the always fashionable ambassador’s “secretary”. Instead of her favored expensive suits and well made up hair and face, she appeared so ordinary she all but blended into the background. Like most everyone there, she wore coveralls, dotted here and there with grease and grime. Her facial features appeared broader, her skin pock-marked with scars. Even her gait and posture were different. She knew her attempt to hide her identity was successful when Moreau’s gaze slipped past her without a single hint of recognition. That changed to surprised frustration when she slid onto a chair at Moreau’s side. Before Moreau could react, Fertig pressed the muzzle of her gun to the woman’s ribs, smiling slightly to feel her stiffen in fear. Moreau thought herself so accomplished when, compared to Fertig, she was little more than an amateur.

  Fertig shifted pocketed her pistol, keeping her hand wrapped around the butt and her finger on the trigger. Then she motioned for Moreau to pick up her drink. She’d need it when she realized just how little there was about her Fertig didn’t know. In fact, the assassin would absolutely shit a proverbial brick to know Fertig had uncovered her biggest secret – her true identity. That was one card Fertig didn’t plan on playing unless she had to. It was her ace and she was a very good poker player.

  “Who are you?” Moreau hissed, her left hand slowly inching its way under the table.

  “I wouldn’t do that, Evan,” Fertig said softly. “In fact, I suggest you take care and let me see both your hands.”

  Moreau’s lips pulled back, baring her teeth briefly. Then she nodded. A moment later, she wrapped both hands around her glass. Fertig arched one brow and gave a quick shake of her head. The glass, like the silverware on the table, could easily be used as a weapon, not that she had any intention of letting Moreau do so. Still, it would be better for them both if the woman didn’t decide to try any foolish.

  “Palms on the table might be safer, Evan dear.” She waited until Moreau complied. “As for who I am, you should be able to figure that out. After all, we’ve had several conversations and I have been to your apartment on more than one occasions.” Moreau’s eyes widened and she nodded in confirmation. “You’ve been trying to avoid me and that is very foolish.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Let’s begin with the obvious.” Fertig waved off a waiter approaching the table. “I won’t miss from this distance. If move wrong, look at me wrong or try to call for help, you’re dead. When we leave here, if you try to leave the capital or flee the planet, you’re dead. Try to hide and I will find you. You are good at your job but I’m better. Nod if you understand.”

  Moreau nodded, her eyes blazing with anger.

  “See, that wasn’t so difficult.” Fertig leaned back, allowing herself to relax slightly. She’d made her point and she doubted Moreau was foolish enough to try anything, at least not just then. “And I have a way that will let you live a little longer, especially if you are successful. If you are, I will help you get off-planet. Then you can disappear and use the resources you’ve been gathering the last ten years in preparation for the day when you finally cut all ties with Watchman.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I need two pieces of information. The first should be easy enough for you to ascertain. Ambassador Kalmár has someone not associated with the embassy gathering information for him. I want a name and location on his source. He isn’t to know what you are doing, and you are not to contact him. Kalmár is much more intelligent, not to mention cagey, than he appears.” Something she wished she’d been aware of when she first arrived at the embassy. If she had, she would never have been forced into her current position. Hopefully, Moreau would find information that would once again put her in control of her relationship with the man.

  “What else?”

  “Here.” She shoved a data chip across the tabletop in Moreau’s direction. “Find out everything you can about why this happened and what is being planned. I want a report in forty-eight hours.”

  Moreau’s nostrils flared as she palmed the chip. “I can’t guarantee I’ll find anything by then.”

  “You will. Your life depends on it.” Fertig let her words sink in.
Then she jerked her head in the direction of the front entrance. “Get out of here. You have a great deal to do and very little time in which to do it. I’ll cover the tab.”

  “One day you will get too cocky for your own good,” Moreau murmured.

  “Perhaps, but not where you’re concerned.” She waited until Moreau looked at her. “Constance.”

  All color drained from the woman’s face. Her hand, as she reached for her bag, shook. Fertig couldn’t have planned it better if she’d wanted to. Moreau knew her darkest secret was no longer secret.

  “How?” she whispered.

  “As I said, I am very good at my job. Now get on your way. I expect results in forty-eight hours. Don’t fail me.”

  She watched as Evan Moreau, once Constance Mubai, left the café. Once outside, the woman headed north. Not that it fooled Fertig. She had no doubt Moreau would try find someplace close by to watch the café. It is what Fertig would do if their positions were reversed. But she’d planned for the woman to try just that. When she left, a cab would be waiting for her. She’d take it several miles away from the café. Then she would get out at one of the capital’s most popular shopping areas. There she would disappear into the crowd. Moreau would never find her.

  Now if it could only be that simple keeping Watchman out of the loop until she knew what her next move should be

  19

  Phoenix Rising

  Combined Allied Attack Force

  Alpha Rhogana System

  “Connery, get to the staging area.”

  Ashlyn ripped open the locker she’d had installed in her quarters onboard the Phoenix Rising. Inside was a duplicate set of battle armor, an identical match to that in her locker inside her office near the staging area. It had cost a small fortune to not only have the second set of armor made but to duplicate most of her weapons, but it was worth it. She’d learned years earlier that the enemy didn’t wait until the crew could suit up. This way, at least, she had a better chance of being prepared when the shit hit the fan and, judging by the sounding of General Quarters, that possibility was far off. She struggled into the body suit with its infernal “plumbing” connections and then looked up. Connery waited, seemingly unfazed by the alarm claxon.

  “Tell Loco to check on each of the company commanders. This is not a drill. If anyone needs encouragement, he is to give it to them, preferably with a boot up their asses. Attack shuttle crews are to hot bunk onboard their shuttles. LACs are to be prepared to launch. Everyone else to their battle stations after they have armored up. All Marines, not just those with the 10th, are to be weaponed up as well. Let’s not run the risk of the enemy boarding and our people not being prepared to repel them.”

  “Aye, ma’am.” Connery paused, her head tilted to one side. When her right hand lifted to cup that ear, Ash knew she was listening to a message coming in over her comm. “Admiral Tremayne wants you and General Shaw to report to her ready room ASAP.”

  “Inform her I will be there shortly.” Ashlyn checked the weapons laid out on her bed and began strapping them in place on her armor. “Once you’ve confirmed everything is under control in the staging area, turn it over to the Master Guns and find me. It looks like things are about to get interesting.”

  “Colonel, you have a very strange definition of that word.” Connery gave her a cocky grin and then left Ash’s quarters.

  “Loco, Angel,” she commed as the hatch slid shut behind Connery. “Artemis is on her way to you. Anything I need to know?” she asked as she slid her battle rifle into its place in the double tactical rifle scabbard strapped across her back. Her sniper rifle followed.

  “Roger that, Angel. Everything under control here. What’s our status?”

  “On my way to find out.” She paused, listening to a report coming in over the battlenet. “Looks like we’re about to deliver out message to the enemy, Loco. Get everyone ready. I’ll be down as soon as I finish with the Admiral.”

  When she stepped off the lift onto the bridge a few minutes later, she looked around. Each station was manned with back-ups sitting next to them. Reports flowed back and forth as information was coordinated and exchanged. The main holo plot showed the Alpha Rhogana System. Green icons indicated the combined allied attack force. Each icon represented a taskforce. Each taskforce represented at least six battle cruisers and four destroyers. The count varied depending on which navy the taskforce belonged to. That meant close to seventy-five ships, almost a thousand LACs and enough Marines to give nightmares to the enemy for years would soon enter the system and rain down hell on the enemy.

  “The admiral is in her ready room, Colonel,” Captain Montgomery said.

  She thanked him and crossed the bridge to the ready room. As the hatch slid shut behind her, she nodded to find Tremayne, Elizabeth, Captain Vilhjalmsson and several others there. They were gathered around the plot, their expressions concerned. Worried, Ashlyn moved to stand next to her mother.

  “It seems as if we are in the right place at the right time once again,” Tremayne said with a grim smile.

  As she spoke, she highlighted a group of red icons on a course out of the system. Ash studied them, frowning, as she calculated their trajectory. If she was right, and she didn’t know if she wanted to be or not, they would intersect the attack force’s course all too soon.

  “CIC reports with confidence that in the ships are on a preliminary trajectory to the Tenasic System,” Tremayne continued. “Also, they do not appear to be aware of our presence yet.”

  For a moment, no one spoke. Finally, Tremayne told them to be seated. “Recommendations?” she asked.

  “We can’t risk them making it to the system, Admiral,” Montgomery said from his place at the far end of the table.

  “I agree.” Ashlyn fisted one hand at her side, waiting for her temper to cool a bit. “Even though reinforcements are in place there, system defenses are not ready to take another hit from the enemy.” She tried not to think of the sacrifices their people had made, that Lucinda had made, to protect the system. Sacrifices that would be for naught if they simply let the enemy ships fly by and once again attack the Tenasic System.

  “Admiral Tremayne, I agree with Colonel Shaw.”

  Ashlyn turned her attention to the secondary holo screen. On it, images of each of the allied fleet commanders appeared. One of them, Rear Admiral Yuri Xing, looked as grim as she felt. Not that she blamed him. If the Callusians managed to take the Tenasic System and hold it, their next logical target would be the Braxis System. In the previous war, the system had seen more than its fair share of the fighting. Ash knew it was still rebuilding its infrastructure and it would be years yet before it returned to normal.

  “I have to agree as well,” Elizabeth said. She waited until Tremayne nodded before continuing. “We’re here to make a statement. The best way we can do so is to destroy those ships. Not only will it prevent them from attacking another of our allies, it will plant the seed of doubt in their minds as they wonder how we knew to attack at precisely this moment, striking when we could not only hurt the system but destroy one of their battle groups.”

  Over the next few minutes, tactics were debated. Only one of Tremayne’s commanders suggested letting the enemy ships fly by. The others offered various approaches on how to deal with them. Each suggestion had merits, even the one to do nothing. Ashlyn waited, praying Tremayne didn’t consider that particular option. She wanted blood. She wanted to avenge the deaths of all those who fell in the Tenasic System. More than that, she refused to let Lucinda and all the others have died in vein.

  “All right.” Tremayne studied the plot once again before continuing. “Admiral Xing, you will have the honors. Your ships are to transit to the head of the formation. Commodore Marcello, your ships will assist.”

  “Thank you, Admiral. It would be our pleasure,” Xing said.

  “The rest of the attack force will continue toward our designated targets. General Shaw, Marine LACs will launch as soon as we are within r
ange. Once they have dealt with the enemy forces, rejoin the attack force, supporting the Navy LACs that will remain in closer formation to protect our leading elements. Until we are within weapons range, we will continue running under stealth conditions.” She glanced around the table, making eye contact not only with those present but those taking part via link. “Any questions?” When there were none, she dismissed everyone, saying they would meet again in an hour.

  As the hatch closed behind the last to leave, Tremayne leaned back and smiled grimly at the two who remained. Elizabeth leaned forward and poured the admiral a mug of coffee. When she looked at Ash and lifted the carafe, Ashlyn shook her head. There would be time for coffee later.

  “Well?” Tremayne asked, setting her mug on the tabletop.

  “This is what we came for, Miranda,” Elizabeth said. “Not exactly the way we planned it but then what battle ever follows the initial plans?”

  “Ash?”

  “Mom’s right, Miranda. I still wish we were hitting the Callusian home system, but this will do for a start. It’s past time for us to take the fight to them.” Even if she didn’t think their mission parameters went far enough.

  “Ash.” Understanding shone in Tremayne’s blue eyes. “I think I speak for your mother when I say neither of us thinks the mission plans go far enough.”

  Ashlyn had to agree. The element of surprise would disappear as soon as the first shot was fired. But that was nothing new. The fact they weren’t going to play by their own rules was. The attack force was under orders to hit the sector with everything it had. The only targets off-limits were civilian installations. However, for once, their senior officers were not being limited by rules of engagement that allowed for no unintended casualties. No longer would the enemy be allowed to hide behind the civilian population. Where bombing raids from the LACs and attack shuttles couldn’t be used, the Marines would be. They would hit hard, destroy as many military and industrial facilities as possible and then withdraw – after delivering President Harper’s message that the Callusian government had one chance to surrender with prejudice of they would bring the battle straight to the Callusian home system.