Duty from Ashes

by Sam Schal

  Then he turned, intending to land a spinning backfist to the ‘droid’s face. Before he could complete the move, fingers closed firmly about his wrist. Reacting on pure instinct, Nichols pivoted, right fist cocked and ready.

  Furious to have his workout interrupted, Nichols sent his fist flying forward, intent on giving whoever had been foolish enough to grab him a lesson he, or she, wouldn’t soon forget. Instead, he found his blow blocked and a fist landing a perfectly controlled strike to his solar plexus.

  Snarling, Nichols feinted and then executed a perfectly timed sidekick. Or so he thought. A forearm connected with his leg, blocking the kick and leaving him off-balance. Before he could react, his feet were swept out from under him and he found himself falling. He landed with a heavy thud, the ceiling of the gym filling his field of vision.

  Ready to take the fight to his opponent, glad to have a living outlet for his anger, Nichols quickly rocked to his feet.

  And came up so short it felt like he had hit a wall. Or had completely lost his mind because what he saw was impossible. Maybe he had hit his head harder than he thought and this was a dream. That was it. He was really lying on the decksole unconscious and this was all a dream.

  Then the dream erupted into a myriad of stars and his breath exploded as he was once more slammed to the mat. Lying there, waiting for his lungs to remember how to work, he became aware of the sounds around him. His fellow Marines called out encouragements, urging him to get up and get back into the fight. Then another voice, a voice from the past, mockingly asked if that was all he had, if he’d finally gone soft.

  Climbing to his feet, Nichols ran a hand over his face. His eyes locked on his opponent and he shook his head in disbelief. The tall, dark haired woman in uniform pants and tank top couldn’t be there. Absolutely couldn’t. But the pounding in his head and the ache in his back told him that he was wrong. Somehow he was wrong.

  “Cap?” His voice betrayed his uncertainty.

  There was no doubt about it. Ashlyn Shaw actually stood before him, hands on hips, laughter in her eyes. How many times before had they been in this same position – the captain enjoying the fact she had sent him onto his backside yet again? If it wasn’t for the band of white in the dark hair and a hardness around her eyes, Nichols could almost have believed he’d gone back in time and none of the long nightmare had occurred.

  “Hey, kid.” Then the woman smiled again, affection touching her voice as she reached down to help Nichols to his feet.

  “Is it really you, Cap?”

  * * *

  Ash considered the young man with a surprise that mirrored Nichols’. It didn’t make sense. He should know the story. Everyone seemed to know the story. After all, the newsies had made sure it had been spread far and wide. Beyond that, FleetCom had issued full statements to each ship and posting with orders to make sure all personnel knew what had happened. So there was no reason why Nichols should be asking how and why she had gotten there.

  Surely the ship’s captain wasn’t as foolish and stubborn as Ash was beginning to think.

  Or was he?

  “Nichols, are you saying you haven’t seen the dispatches from FleetCom or the news coverage of the last two months?” Ash did her best to keep her voice carefully neutral as the others in the gym began to gather around them. As they did, she heard the murmurs as some of them recognized her as well as the speculation about what her sudden appearance might mean.

  “Ma’am, we haven’t seen a newscast in months. The captain doesn’t believe they add anything to our duties.” Now there was a definite touch of disgust in the younger man’s voice and Ash felt her mouth draw tight.

  “And the dispatches from FleetCom?” she prompted.

  “Ma’am, with apologies, but none of us know what you’re talking about nor do we understand how you can be here,” a tall, muscular man who reminded her of a Fuerconese Mountain Bear said as he moved to Nichols’ side.

  For a moment, Ash stood there, thinking hard. Before she did anything else, she needed to be sure she understood what the Marines did and did not know. So she might as well start with the obvious.

  “Listen up.” She raised her voice and waited until every Marine either joined them or stopped what they were doing and turned in her direction. “For those who do not know me, the name’s Ashlyn Shaw. Yes, that Ashlyn Shaw.” She gave them a moment to digest that bit. “In case you weren’t given access to the dispatches from FleetCom and from General Okafor’s office, the cases against myself and the six surviving members of my unit were reopened and we have been cleared, our records expunged and we have been returned to duty. I have been promoted to the rank of major and am now in command of the Devil Dogs. Lt. Colonel Pawlak has been transferred to Second Division to help bring their Marines up to the standard of FirstBatt.”

  She looked around, noting the looks of surprise and approval, on the faces of the Marines surrounding her.

  “Now, were you apprised of the fact that the capital was attacked less than two months ago by the Callusians? It was an attack we now know was a feint meant to keep our focus on the home system while the enemy prepared to invade the Cassius System.”

  That was all it took. Several of the Marines cursed long and, in one case, quite inventively. Another turned and slammed his fist into the sparring droid Nichols had been working against, all but decapitating the droid in the process. Some of the younger Marines paled even as their spines straightened. No matter what had been happening on the ship, these Marines, at least, appeared to be ready for whatever was necessary.

  Good.

  “President Harper has withdrawn our support for the truce and we are now at war. You should have been informed of all this by order of FleetCom and under the seal of the President’s Office.”

  For a moment, no one spoke. Then Nichols squared his shoulders and took a step forward. When he stopped, he braced to attention. “Major, with apologies, but we had no idea any of this had happened.”

  Ash closed her eyes and counted to ten. The bad feeling she’d had since boarding just kept getting worse. How in the name of all that was holy could the ship’s CO not have told his command that they were now at war?

  “Master Guns, I think you’d better access the ship’s computers so we can see what’s going on here. Verify receipt of FleetCom’s dispatches and that the captain viewed them.” She turned to Talbot, not bothering to hide her anger. He nodded once and, with a signal to one of the Marines standing nearby, hurried across the gym in the direction of the sole office located off to one side.

  “Now,” Ash continued as she studied those gathered around her. She nodded slightly as she recognized a number of the faces and saw the eagerness, even hope, reflected on their expressions. She wanted to know what was happening onboard the ship and now she had her chance to do just that. “Let me begin by saying that the Aisling is under consideration for a mission FirstBatt will soon be embarking on. That is part of the reason why I’m here. The other part is that I’m here to speak with certain members of the Marine detachment onboard as well as to review the detachment as a whole.”

  Before she could continue, Talbot emerged from the small office. One look at his face told Ash all she needed to know. The dispatches had reached the ship and the captain had read them. But, for whatever reason, he had chosen to disobey orders and had not released the information to his officers and crew. For that reason alone, Ash knew she had to act. If he had ignored that order, what else had he done and could she put it all to right in time for their scheduled departure from the system?

  “Master Guns?”

  “Major Shaw, I regret to inform you that the captain of this ship failed to follow orders from FleetCom concerning informing the crew of the fact that all charges against you and the surviving members of your unit have been dropped and your records cleared. It is also clear that he failed to inform the ship’s company that charges have been leveled against many of those who had been in charge of the prisoners at the Tar
sus military prison. Further, it is clear that the captain also failed to disclose to the crew the fact that the capital was attacked or that Cassius Prime was invaded. Finally, he has failed to inform the crew that we are once more at war with the Callusians.”

  For a moment, Ash looked at Talbot, unable to believe what she heard. Her suspicions about him had been confirmed. He hadn’t told his crew about the attack on the capital or on Cassius Prime. Was he insane? What if they had come across a hostile force? He could have gotten them all killed. And for what? That was what she had to find out and there wasn’t a moment to lose.

  “All right, Master Guns. It is obvious there’s more going on here than we knew when we came onboard.”

  Damn it, why couldn’t anything be simple anymore?

  “I need to report in. While I do, no one is to leave the gym nor are they to contact anyone else.” She let her gaze rest on each Marine present. “Just so they understand, Master Guns, remind them about what it means to be a Marine and what it takes to be in Spec Ops, much less the Devil Dogs.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Nichols, you’re with me.”

  With that, Ash collected her jacket, shirt and boots and made her way to the office. Once there, she quickly dressed. After running her hands through her hair, she reached for her comm and waited to be connected with her mother. She knew she was breaking protocol by not going through the Aisling’s comms officer but this was one conversation she didn’t want the ship’s CO getting wind of. At least not yet.

  “Shaw here,” her mother said a few minutes later.

  “Ma’am, we have something of a situation onboard the Aisling,” Ashlyn said simply before quickly reporting what she knew so far.

  “Hold one moment, Major. I’m going to bring both General Okafor and Admiral Tremayne in on this.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.” She glanced at Nichols who stood uncertainly in the doorway. “Quick question, Nichols, who is the Marine CO onboard?”

  “That would be Major Jasper, ma’am.”

  Ash nodded and quickly called up Jasper’s record. A quick glance produced nothing to explain why the Marines seemed a pale reflection of what they should have been. Nor did it explain why he hadn’t been on hand to greet her when she and Talbot arrived onboard.

  “Go get dressed and meet me back here in five,” she continued as her comm unit beeped to let her know her mother was back. Before activating it, she waited until Nichols nodded and left the small office. “My apologies, ma’am. I needed to deal with something before continuing.”

  “Understood, Major,” Elizabeth said. “I have General Okafor and Admiral Tremayne tied into the comm.”

  “My aide, Captain Jareau, is also tied in,” Miranda Tremayne added.

  “You said we have a situation onboard the Aisling, Major. What’s going on?” General Okafor prompted.

  “I don’t know the full details yet, ma’am, but it is clear that there are problems onboard. First, Master Gunnery Sergeant Talbot has discovered that the ship’s CO failed to inform the ship’s complement of not only the attacks on the capital and on Cassius Prime but also of the events surrounding my being here.

  “But the trouble runs deeper than that. There is an air to the ship, like the crew has either been broken or it has decided just to get by until they can transfer off. The ship itself is rundown and appears much older than it really is. It is as if the standard maintenance isn’t being conducted. I can’t put my finger on what exactly is wrong. I’m a Marine, not Navy, so I don’t know all the nuances of commanding or maintaining a ship like this.”

  “What does the captain have to say, Major?” Tremayne asked.

  “I can’t tell you, ma’am. I haven’t seen him or any of the senior officers, Naval or Marine, since arriving onboard.”

  “Where are you now, Major?” General Okafor asked.

  “In an office off the gym in Marine territory, ma’am.” She paused, her eyes going wide in disbelief, as Nichols returned to the office. “My apologies, ma’am, but something’s come up on this end. With your permission, I’ll be back with you in just a moment.” She muted the comm and stood, her expression hard. “Mr. Nichols, would you care to explain to me why in the name of all that is holy you are wearing the insignia of a second lieutenant?”

  And why hadn’t the BBOD said anything when she asked for Captain Loren Nichols?

  “Ma’am, it is my current rank.” There could be no mistaking the anger and bitterness in the man’s voice.

  “You’d best explain, and quickly, since the last entry in your personnel jacket was a rank of captain with a notation that you were being recommended for promotion at the first possible opportunity.” Ash inhaled, held it for a moment and then exhaled. Getting upset with Nichols wasn’t going to help, at least not until she knew what was happening.

  “Major, it was by order of Commander Kryzcek. I can’t explain why it hasn’t yet been noted in my file.”

  “And why is a Naval officer, ship’s CO or not, busting down a Marine officer and why didn’t your Marine CO object?”

  “Major Jasper has been confined to sick bay for the last four weeks, ma’am. At that time, Commander Kryzcek took command of the Marine contingent.”

  Ashlyn’s mouth grew tight and she fought the urge to curse long and hard. Instead, she keyed off the mute on her comm. This was definitely something she needed to pass along to the powers that be.

  “My apologies, General Okafor, Admiral Tremayne, but things are most definitely not what any of us had been led to believe about the ship. I’ve just been informed that the Marine CO has been confined to sick bay for the last month. Since then, Commander Kryzcek, the ship’s CO, has taken over command of the Marine contingent. He has busted Jasper’s XO from captain down to second lieutenant. I know the Marines assigned to the Aisling are part of SecDiv, but I recommend they be temporarily reassigned to FirstDiv until this can be sorted out.”

  “Major, you are to take immediate command of the Marine contingent onboard. We’ll sort out what’s going on after you’ve had a chance to review the current situation and, hopefully, speak with the Marine CO,” Okafor said. “Orders will be transmitted to you and to the ship within the next five minutes.”

  “Understood, ma’am.”

  “Major, you are also to assume command of the ship until Captain Jareau arrives. He will relieve you and begin an investigation into what has been going on onboard the Aisling,” Tremayne put in.

  “Admiral!” Ash stopped and forced herself to stay calm. “Ma’am, I’m a Marine. I doubt there is any way the CO will accept my assuming command.”

  “Then you will confine him to quarters and he will find himself brought up on charges of insubordination and disobeying orders.” There was no give in the Admiral’s voice. “Orders relieving him of command and putting you in charge of the ship pending Captain Jareau’s arrival will come under both my signature and General Okafor’s.” She paused briefly. “Just don’t go deciding you can take the ship out for a joyride.”

  “Not this time, ma’am,” she chuckled.

  “Ash, I’ll be including orders as well. I want to know what happened to Major Jasper and why he hasn’t been transferred to a groundside medical facility,” her mother added.

  “Understood.”

  “Major, remain in the gym until you receive your orders. Then get to the bridge and take command. Pick those of the Marines you feel most comfortable with to assist you,” Okafor said firmly. “Any questions?”

  “Not at the moment, Ma’am.”

  “Record on at all times. Tell Talbot the same.”

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  “If you haven’t received your orders in the next few minutes, let us know, Major,” Tremayne told her. “Captain Jareau will get you his ETA as soon as possible.”

  “Thank you, Admiral.”

  “Get to work, Ash. Sounds like you have your job cut out for you,” Okafor said and ended the transmission.

  For a m
oment, Ash just sat there, staring into space. Then she gave herself a mental shake. Like it or not, she’d been given her orders. But, before she did anything else, she needed to know exactly what Nichols could tell her.

  “All right, Loren, tell me what happened.”

  “Ma’am, right now I feel like I hit my head too hard in a fall and this is all a dream. I’m not sure I’d make any sense, at least not until you tell me how you happen to be here. So I guess maybe you ought to just look at this.” As he spoke, he handed over his personal datapad.

  For a moment, Ash simply looked at the younger man. Then she took the datapad and leaned back, not sure what she would find. The cynic in her was prepared to see personal justifications for what happened. Instead, she saw the official documentation behind Nichols’ drop in rank. Part of her was relieved to know Nichols’ sense of honor hadn’t changed in the last several years.

  Without looking up, Ash flipped through the official documentation to Nichols’ personal log entries for the dates in question. A bitter smile touched her lips as she did. Nichols’ log was detailed, including the names of witnesses to the events alleged in the allegations against him and, in some cases, recordings of what happened.

  Good. If Nichols’ log passed muster after being examined by the JAG, it would be enough to make sure the ship’s commander never held another command again.

  “I have two questions.” Ash handed the datapad back and waited until Nichols nodded. “First, what would you say to returning to the Devil Dogs?”

  Now it was Nichols’ turn to say nothing. For several long moments, he simply stared at some point over Ash’s head. Finally, he looked back at Ashlyn, a million questions reflected in his expression.

  “Ma’am – Major, I meant what I said earlier about feeling like I hit my head too hard and this is all some sort of hallucination or something.” He ran a hand over his hair and shook his head. “I don’t understand how you can be here. But, to answer your question, I would like nothing more than to return to the Devil Dogs. I never wanted the transfer out.”