by Sam Schall
Knowing she wouldn’t be seen, she dropped her head into her hands. For a moment, she let the anger and fear she’d been suppressing for so long surface. She had to let it out, at least some of it, before it became a distraction. Hale might have hung them out to dry, he and Admiral Wu, but the rest of FleetCom hadn’t. Her message to Ashlyn Shaw had helped see to that. All they had to do was hang on until Taskforce Sentinel arrived.
She’d feel better about their chances if she hadn’t lost so many Marines already. She felt each of their deaths down to her soul. One of the injuries hit her worse than all the others. MJ Adamson. Damned, stubborn bitch and one of the best Marines she knew. She was supposed to be confined to the Medical Ward. Instead, she’d managed to slip out. Injured as she was, she’d joined a damage control team in one of the LAC bays. Instead of retreating with the rest of her people when the bay to an almost direct hit, Adamson stayed back, making sure everyone else made it out safely. Then, as she worked to rescue one of the crew chiefs, the Campbell took another hit. She had been trapped in the rubble. By the time a rescue team got to her, she was almost gone. The brief message Lucinda received from the medicals was that they would do what they could but they, like everyone else onboard, were working with diminishing manpower and supplies.
Worse, she couldn’t even take time to go check on Adamson and the other Marines herself. There was too much to do and too few people with which to do it. Now she was about to send even more of her people to their deaths.
Damn it, there were days she hated being a Marine.
8
“ADMIRAL, PICKING UP SIGNS OF BATTLE,” Lieutenant Stahl reported.
“Update the plot.” Admiral Miranda Tremayne’s expression hardened as the holo plot adjusted to show the fighting. Eyes narrowed, she watched the plot for a moment and then checked the incoming data. Not only were there too few ships, at least from Taskforce Liberator, but none of the planetary defense platforms registered. That meant they were either offline or destroyed. If there was any good in the situation, it was that there were no more enemy ships to deal with than there were surviving ships from Liberator. “Colonel Shaw, launch your LACs. Let’s get some support out there for our people. Lieutenant Avery, signal the taskforce. Operation Freedom Force is now in effect. I repeat, OFF is now in effect. All ships to general quarters. Let’s put ourselves between Liberator and the enemy and finish this fight.”
“Aye, Admiral. Operation Freedom Force sent to all ships,” the comms officer confirmed.
Ashlyn quickly issued orders for the first wave of Marine LACs to launch. Then she waited, watching as the sensor data updated once again. As she did, she said a silent prayer they had been in time. At least the taskforce, or part of it, survived. They were still fighting. But they were hurt, badly hurt. The question now was if they could hold out long enough for Tremayne to get her ships into place.
“LACs have been ordered to launch, Admiral. The first should be free in less than five minutes,” Ashlyn reported.
“Very good.” The redhead looked at her Marine commander and nodded once. Then she turned her attention back to the comms officer. Lieutenant Avery, senior staff to be ready to brief in my ready room in ten minutes. Those who can’t be here in person are to report via comm-link.”
“Aye, ma’am.”
“Colonel.” Tremayne stood and motioned toward the ready room.
Ashlyn nodded. A few moments later, they took their places at the large table in the center of the room. As they did, Tremayne instructed her aide to have the Mess send up coffee, tea and something to eat. At the same time, Ashlyn sent for Connery. A smile touched her lips as she did. She had no doubt the corporal was already on her way to the bridge to see what she could do to help her colonel.
“Comms, any word from Liberator?” Tremayne asked once everyone had arrived or checked in via comm-link.
“Negative, Admiral.”
Ashlyn had no doubt her expression matched Tremayne’s. Since arriving in-system, the Phoenix Rising had been trying to hail the Campbell and the other surviving ships of Taskforce Liberator. So far, there had been no answer to their hails, no challenges, nothing. The only thing that reassured any of them was the fact the Campbell and the other ships still fought. Unfortunately, Taskforce Sentinel was still too far out to get solid readings on what was going on or on how badly Liberator’s surviving ships had been damaged. Worse, it would be at least another hour before Sentinel could rendezvous and place itself between the enemy and Liberator.
“Number of enemy ships?” Tremayne asked.
“CIC reports preliminary count of half a dozen, ma’am,” Lieutenant Gideon answered. “Most of them appear to be badly damaged but they show no signs of retreating.”
“Any other signs of enemy activity in the system?”
“Negative, ma’am. Without the defense platforms, however, we don’t have a clear picture of the entire system,” Gideon said.
“Suggestions?” the admiral asked. “The last thing we need is to walk into a trap.”
“We could play it the way you did on the last mission, ma’am,” Captain Lars Vilhjalmsson said.
Even though she nodded, Ash could tell Tremayne didn’t like the idea. Not that she blamed her. They didn’t know if the enemy had managed to get a comm off, detailing how they’d responded to the attempted invasion of Fuercon’s home system. It would be a risk, a potentially fatal one, to attempt the same tactic without knowing more about the current situation.
“Colonel?”
Ashlyn stepped forward. “We’ve already launched one flight group of LACs. They are making best speed toward the enemy’s rear. Once they are within range, that should take some of the pressure off of Liberator.”
Tremayne and several others at the table nodded.
“I recommend launching another squadron with the Helios mini-platforms. Their sensor buoys will give us a better idea of what we’re facing.”
“Any arguments or counter-suggestions?” Tremayne waited and, when no one said anything, signaled in her approval. “What else?” she asked as Ashlyn instructed Connery to issue the order.
“Captain Vilhjamsson’s suggestion?” Ashlyn prompted, not at all liking the idea for several reasons.
Instead of commenting, Tremayne stood and moved to stare at the holo display that currently showed the Tenasic System. Green icons indicated the location for the ships from Taskforce Liberator they had on sensors. As she did, a frown tugged at the corners of her mouth. She stood there, her hands clasped behind her back. Ash and the others waited, watching as the redhead listened to the reports coming in, weighing them against what they knew and what she suspected.
“All right.” Tremayne straightened her shoulders. “Comms, get me Commander Akachi.”
Ashlyn frowned slightly at the admiral’s last comment. Akachi commanded the Navy LACs assigned to the flagship. She hadn’t worked with him before this mission but had studied his record. He was a solid commander and excellent pilot. Even so, without knowing what the admiral had in mind, she preferred using the Devil Dog’s LACs. If this was a trap, her Marines were best able to handle it.
“Colonel, when Commander Akachi arrives, I want the two of you to figure out the best use of our LACs. They need to screen not only our approach but keep the pressure on the Callusians until we are able to relieve Liberator and give them some breathing room.,” Tremayne said, as if reading her mind. “You are also to have your battle shuttles prepped and ready to launch on my command.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She stepped away and signaled her own LAC commander, asking for his input on possible attack plans.
Tremayne returned to her chair. As she looked around the ready room, Ash marveled at her control. Only someone who knew the admiral as well as she did would realize Tremayne wasn’t as calm as she appeared. Ashlyn saw the quick flash of anger in the woman’s eyes. She felt Tremayne’s concern. But, like the best officers Ash had ever served with, Tremayne didn’t let her worry show. Instea
d, her calm presence seemed to reassure the others in the ready room.
Me included.
“If I may, Admiral?” Ash waited until Tremayne nodded. “I recommend preparing at least one battle shuttle to take a squad of Marines to the Campbell. That gives us eyes onboard as well as the ability to link comms through the shuttle. We need to know what they have faced and what support, besides weapons, they need.
“As for the captain’s suggestion, my vote is against it. Liberator is already down a number of ships and we have no idea how badly the surviving ships have been damaged. The last thing we need is to risk any of our ships without knowing more. In this situation, the power rests in our greater number of hulls.””
“Agreed on both counts.” Tremayne glanced up at her. “Go brief your people, Colonel. Be back in thirty. We should receive the preliminary reports from our LACs by then.”
Ash braced to attention and, as soon as Tremayne dismissed her, she left the bridge, Connery on her heels.
“Ten-hut!”
The order rang out across the Marines’ staging area as Ashlyn stepped off the lift a short time later. Instantly, every Marine present stopped what they were doing and braced to attention. Ashlyn paused and took a moment to glance around the area. Then she nodded, pleased to see the Devil Dogs had wasted no time once GQ sounded. They were armored up, their gear and weapons ready for whatever their orders might be.
Ooh-rah!
“Listen up!” she said after putting them at their ease. “We have Taskforce Liberator on sensors. That’s the good news. The bad news is they aren’t responding to our hails. The worst news is there are Callusian ships in-system and they are engaging what remains of Liberator. Sensor readings also make it clear Liberator is down even more ships than when we left the home system. We have already launched one flight group of LACs to engage the enemy from the rear. Hopefully, that will buy Liberator time until the admiral gets Sentinel’s ships into place to not only protect them but engage the enemy. Another squad of LACs will launch Helios mini-platforms to give us a better picture of what is happening. The last thing the admiral wants is for us to fly into a trap.”
There were a few grumblings and she gave them a moment to die down before continuing. “The remainder of our LACs are to stand ready to launch. Raptor, get your people and their crews ready.” She watched as her own LAC commander gave a quick salute and hurried off, his comm in one hand as he issued his own orders.
“Captain Nichols, get four battle shuttles manned and ready to launch. I’ll leave troop assignment to you. My squad has the fifth shuttle.” As she spoke, she felt Connery stiffen at her side. “Hot bunk on the shuttles until further notice. My shuttle is to be ready for launch in thirty. Any questions?”
“Negative, Colonel.” Nichols waited until she dismissed him. Then he started calling out assignments.
“All right, Corporal. Let’s get armored up and then see what else the admiral has to say.”
And what arguments she’d have to try to keep Ashlyn onboard instead of on the battle shuttle.
Half an hour later, Tremayne entered her ready room. Before Ash could call those gathered to attention, the admiral shook her head. Expression grim, she moved to her place at the head of the table. The moment she sat, she motioned for the others to do the same. As she did, Ashlyn frowned, worried. A quick spike of fear ran through her as she thought of her friends with Taskforce Liberator. Had they been too late after all?
“Initial report from the LACs confirm they will be within weapons range in another half an hour,” Tremayne began. “They have intercepted a message from the Campbell, however. The taskforce has been hit hard three times by the enemy. Each time it has managed to hold the system but not without taking heavy casualties. They are now down to half strength and their arsenal is basically depleted. Their power plants and environmental controls are straining to keep up with the demands of the remaining ships because they have taken on the survivors from the other ships. Admiral O’Malley followed FleetCom orders and wiped the databanks of the one ship he had to scuttle before this last attack. Since then, another ship has been lost and two are barely functional. The Campbell and two others are doing their best to screen the badly damaged ships.”
“And the enemy, ma’am?” Ashlyn asked grimly.
“The Campbell’s CIC identified a pattern to the enemy’s attacks. Unfortunately, they have deviated from that pattern this time. My guess is the enemy commander feels he has enough firepower to either defeat Liberator outright or force its surrender. Otherwise, had he held to pattern, the enemy would have withdrawn by now.”
“Which means it may try to do so once it realizes we are on-station,” Vilhjamsson commented.
“Agreed.” Tremayne tapped in a series of commands using her virtual keyboard and the holo display split, one half showing the current data from the system and the second half showing Tremayne’s proposed battle plan.
For several long minutes, the group studied the plan. Ash frowned as she did. Tremayne was splitting their forces, sending most of the taskforce to assist Liberator’s ships. The remainder would follow the LACs in to attack the rear and, hopefully, cut off the enemy’s escape.
“Admiral, I hate to be the one to ask, but is the information from the Campbell confirmed?” Captain Justin Montgomery, Tremayne’s XO, asked.
“As best as it can be at the moment.” Tremayne leaned back and they waited. Ash closely watched the redhead, reading the conflicting emotions on her face. “The message the LACs intercepted said the Campbell’s long-range comms, as well as those of the others ships, have been damaged in the fighting. A visual of the ships confirms all have sustained heavy damage, damage that would appear to confirm the claim. However, contact was audio only.”
“Admiral, I believe this is now a job for the Devil Dogs,” Ashlyn said after a moment’s thought. “My recommendation is to launch another three squads of LACs. Set up patrol patterns to make sure the enemy doesn’t try to slip in behind us. As much as I want to believe the only enemy ships in the area are those currently engaging Liberator, I don’t want to bet their lives or ours on it. Something has caused the enemy commander to change his attack pattern and we need to keep that in mind.
“My next recommendation is to go ahead and launch the battle shuttle we designated to rendezvous with the Campbell. It can transport some naval personnel who can assist the Campbell’s crew as well as Marines.”
“Agreed.” Tremayne didn’t like. Her tone of voice, not to mention her expression, made it clear. But she wasn’t going to turn down their best bet for discovering exactly what happened. “How soon can your people be ready to launch?”
“You just have to give the order, ma’am.” Now came the sticky part. Ashlyn knew without saying anything how the admiral would respond to her next comment. “Admiral, I will be accompanying the shuttle.” She waited, placing a mental bet on how the redhead would respond.
“Under normal circumstances, I’d tell you no.” Tremayne smiled grimly and Ashlyn nodded, relieved. “But we don’t know what you’ll find and that means I need not only a senior officer onboard but also someone who won’t be afraid to make the difficult decisions. You have, time and again, proven to be that person, Colonel. I know I don’t have to tell you not to take unnecessary risks.”
“Understood, ma’am.”
“Make sure to sync your comms through the LACs so we have a running record of everything.”
Another nod.
“Go get your people ready to launch, Colonel. Let me know when you’re set.”
Fifteen minutes later, Ashlyn looked up as those around her fell silent. Seeing Tremayne striding across the staging area, she stood from her where she’d knelt next to her footlocker. Before she could do anything else, Tremayne motioned toward her office. Ashlyn nodded and then turned to Connery. The corporal quickly assured her she’d finish loading her equipment onto the shuttle.
“Close the door,” Tremayne said as Ashlyn entered the
office. The redhead waited as she complied. Then she leaned against the desk and blew out a breath.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know that anything is, at least not anything more than we already know, Ash. But I don’t like the lack of communication. The LACs intercepted the one message and nothing else. Now, it could be because of damage to their comms system or it could be something else.”
Ashlyn understood. It worried her as well.
“If I didn’t have to send you over, Ash, I wouldn’t. I’m not going to lie to you.”
Even though she didn’t like it, Ashlyn appreciated the fact Tremayne was honest about how she felt.
“I know.” She managed a smile. “And I promise to remember that I’m the CO and no longer the one to be the first through a hatch. But you know I’m right. I need to be with my people to judge the best way to proceed.”
“Just be careful.”
“I will.” She stepped forward and reached for Tremayne’s hand. “Miranda, I promise you aren’t going to have to tell my mother something happened to me.”
“Good.” The redhead smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. “I do have one last order, Ash. If you start suspecting this is a trap, you are to abort the mission and get back here. Understand?”
“Yes, ma’am.” She hoped it didn’t come to that. They needed to know what happened. More than that, Liberator’s survivors deserved to know they hadn’t been abandoned by FleetCom or by the Corps.
“Keep your comms open, Ash.”
“I will.” She followed Tremayne to the door. “We’ll be ready to launch in five.”
“Very good, Colonel.” The admiral looked around, pausing when she spotted Connery at the shuttle hatch. “Corporal, a moment, please.”
