“Nice job your sister did. The whole battalion’s buzzing about it.”
“Thanks,” Noah said, automatically.
He was proud of Esther, but to be honest, he was getting a little tired of everyone constantly harping on it. Four Marines had died, and while he didn’t blame his sister for that, he thought the general feeling of excitement should be muted in light of their losses. He’d known two of them, Sergeant Kinder and Kelten Wells. Even if they were in different companies, Noah thought Kelten was a close acquaintance, if not an actual friend.
“So what brings you down to our dungeon?” she asked as she looked at her readings.
“I was wondering what the demand will be next year for tankers,” he said, trying to keep his voice casual.
“Why, you want to join the dark side?”
“Well, I don’t know. My enlistment’ll be up in eleven months, and yeah, I was thinking about it.”
“Really? You do know this is sort of a dead end. It’s hard to advance in the pipeline,” she said, looking up at him.
“I know, I read that. But I think I’d like to see what it’s like.”
“But, I mean, with your family background. . .” she trailed off, breaking eye contact and looking down at her fingernails as if something had just sprung up on them.
Not this again, Noah thought with an audible sigh, which brought the sergeant’s gaze back up.
“Sergeant Phong, with all due respect, I’m me. I’m not my father. And I’m not my sister, either. I enlisted for my own reasons, and I can assure, you, Commandant of the Marine Corps in not one of my goals. I want to serve where I best can, period.”
The sergeant gave him a piercing, lingering stare before she shrugged and said, “OK, my mistake. Sorry for assuming.”
Noah had been a little sharper than he’d intended, and he understood her assumption. It wasn’t a secret that Esther was a go-getter with huge potential—and had a huge drive as well. It wouldn’t be a reach to assume that he had the same goals and drive as her.
“You going to make E4 before your contract’s up?” she asked him.
“Probably in four months. Six months for sure.”
“And your MCAAT?”
“Ninety-six.”
“Oh, a smart young lad, aren’t we? Well, we dumb trackheads only need an 88, so you’ve got that in the bag.”
She put down her calibrator and sat on the gun tube.
“Look, if you really think you’d like to try tanks, that’s fine with me. But it’s a big step. We’ve got another Dixie exercise in three weeks. Why don’t you see if your platoon commander can spring you for a day or two while we’re there, and I’ll clear it with the staff sergeant. We’ll get you in one of these bad boys and see how it feels. Then, if you’re still interested, we can see about getting a package in for the lateral transfer. How does that sound?”
“That would be great, Sergeant! I’d love that!”
“Well, I’m about done here now. You let me know first if they’ll spring you, and then I’ll clear things here.”
She jumped off the tank, turning to fit in the narrow space between it and the next one.
“See you around, Lysander.”
Noah waited until her back was to him before he pumped his fist in the air. He jumped off the tank, not caring that he bruised the crap out of his shin on the next tank over.
It wasn’t for sure yet, but he had a pretty good feeling that he was going to be a tanker!
Chapter 34
Esther
“Welcome back, Corporal,” Pokky Opparell said as Esther entered the brain shack.
“Thanks, Pokky. Good to be home,” Esther said.
“Good to be on this floating can? After the bright lights of Malika? I thought you were smarter than that.”
“Not much chance of getting out of the hospital when going through regen, Pokky.”
“Yeah, I guess there’s that. Anyway, good to see you in one piece.”
The diminutive woman was one of the MIS engineers, with the battalion for 34 years, making her the dean of the civilian support personnel assigned to the base. No one really knew much about her, but if the full-body tattoos were any indication, she’d lived a wild life in her youth. She could be somewhat of a nosy busy-body, but Esther was rather fascinated by her.
“I read your proposed citation. Pretty impressive. You’ll have to stop by and see me sometime and give me the real story.”
Of course, you read the citation, Pokky. You read everything.
Still, Esther’s ears perked up. She knew she was getting written up for something; she just didn’t know for what. That was probably why the lieutenant wanted to see her. She hadn’t even gotten off the passenger liner when she received the message to come to his office before she did anything else.
“Sure, Pokky. I’ve got to see Lieutenant Markopoulos first, though. Maybe after chow if you haven’t gone home yet.”
“Oh, you know me, Corporal. I live here.”
Not quite, Pokky. You live at the Pelican Beak, Lana’s, or whatever dive bar strikes your fancy. Your party-girl reputation and love of stout precede you,” she thought as a smile creased her face.
Esther passed the company offices. She almost stuck her head in the first sergeant’s hatch to tell him she was back, but the lieutenant had sent word to see him first.
She knocked on the jamb of the open hatch and announced, “Lieutenant Markopoulos, it’s Corporal Lysander,” into the platoon commanders’ space.
The lieutenant popped his head above his cubical partition, spotted her, and said, “Corporal Lysander, come in, please.” He tapped on the top of his partition, and said, “Wyatt, can I have the office?”
Lieutenant Andres said “Sure thing,” and stood up. “Welcome back, Corporal,” he added before leaving the space.
All four lieutenants shared the same small space, each with a tiny cubical, but they were used to ignoring whatever other platoon business was being conducted, so Esther was mildly surprised that the lieutenant asked his fellow lieutenant to leave.
“Take a seat, Corporal,” the lieutenant said, and Esther slid into the small chair, her knees touching her platoon commander’s desk. “How did your regen go? Any issues?”
The lieutenant seemed as if his question was perfunctory, but Esther said, “Fine, sir. Three weeks. I’ve got a little ghost ache, but the techs said there’s no lasting damage. Lance Corporal Woutou’s doing great. Just another two weeks.”
She didn’t mention Van Nustern or Dogman. Both had been resurrected, both were still in their regen coma, but the techs and doctors couldn’t make any prognosis yet.
“Oh, that’s good. Um, I wanted to talk to you personally. It’s about Excel Sun #4.”
Esther’s heart gave a lurch. He didn’t sound like he wanted to talk about an award.
“The. . .when. . .the investigation into the civilian deaths has been kicked up. It’s a formal Section Five now.”
Esther’s mouth dropped open in shock.
A Section Five? But the investigator said everything was OK!
Esther was still having dreams about the fight, and she kept second-guessing herself, but she didn’t expect a Section Five.
“But Paragraph 3b!”
“Yes, I know, Corporal. It’s clear to me, and it’s clear to my lawyer.”
“Your lawyer, sir? Are you under investigation, too?”
“The both of us, Esther. You and me. I called my dad’s lawyer this morning. He can’t do anything official yet until. . .unless. . .they level charges, but I thought it’d be a good idea.”
Esther tried to take it all in. She didn’t have a lawyer to call. She could probably find one easy enough, but she thought that might look like she felt she was guilty.
“Why, sir? What happened? I was told everything was fine.”
“And it was, from all I can tell. But a buddy of mine at Division told me Admiral Blankenship is involved.”
And the fog th
at had taken over Esther’s mind coalesced into clarity.
Admiral Blankenship was her father’s appointment as the First Minister, an olive branch to the loyalists after the Evolution. Her father hadn’t been chairman long enough for him to be a problem to him, but the admiral had been a constant thorn in the side of Chairman MacCailín. And he represented more than a few powerbrokers who while they had to accept the facts of the Evolution, they resented the new situation.
And General Ryck Lysander, even in his death, was their boogeyman.
It didn’t take a detective to understand that politics had reared its ugly head here. There was a faction that would love nothing better than to pull down Ryck Lysander’s daughter.
And the lieutenant was collateral damage.
She looked up at him, his finger drumming nervously on his desk.
It might not be her place, but she said, “I’m sorry, sir, to get you dragged into this.”
“It’s not your fault, Corporal. . .Esther,” he said as if their situation had drawn them together. “I gave the order, so if anyone is to fall, it should be me. Not you.”
Esther couldn’t tell if he really meant that or if he knew that was what he had to say. She appreciated it none-the-less.
“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you about this, but I thought it should be me,” he said. “Now, we need to check in with the skipper, then the CO. Division is sending an SJA, and we’ll meet with him tomorrow. So if you’re ready?”
“Yes, sir.”
“OK. The skipper’s waiting for us.”
For a brief moment, Esther wanted to run to the comms shack. She knew any number of flags, both retired and still on active duty. But a rising swell of indignation swept through her. She’d done nothing wrong, and her pride would not allow her to beg for help. She had to face this head-on and let the chips fall as they may.
Chapter 35
Noah
“It’s just. . .oh, I don’t know. I thought he’d be proud,” Princess Mayhem said, a tiny tear forcing itself from the corner of her eye.
Noah, his arm around her should, gave her a hug, pulling her into him.
“But are you proud? That’s what’s important.”
“Yes, of course, I am. Making corporal. Being approved for re-enlistment.”
“Not everyone gets that far, Dora. You should be proud.”
“But that’s why I thought he’d be, too.”
Princess Mayhem’s father was a police chief on Knight’s World, and over the last two years since he’d joined the battalion, bits and pieces of her relationship had slowly come out. It wasn’t a close relationship, that much was clear. But the degree of how much she wanted to gain his approval had only become clear after the Princess had come into his berthing space 20 minutes ago and opened up to him.
The thing is, Noah knew exactly how she felt. He’d always craved his father’s approval, he never felt he’d received it, and now that was out of reach forever. Sometimes, when other Marines came to him with their problems, he could empathize, he could sympathize, but he didn’t know exactly what the other Marines felt. This time, Princess’ troubles had been his own. He understood her intrinsically.
“Sometimes, you just have to think of yourself,” he said as Princess laid her head on his shoulder. “If you’re proud, then wear that on your chest. You’re Princess Frigging Mayhem, and no one else has ever earned that title. Marines quake when you tread, they worship your footprints!”
“Shit, Noah,” she said, straightening up and punching him in the shoulder.
She laughed and brushed the tear from her face.
“Yeah, they all worship the ground I walk on, huh?”
“That, or they’re afraid you’ll have them for dinner.”
“Eat me, Noah, eat me,” she said, her voice much more relaxed. “You sure have a way of speaking to the girls, telling them what they want to hear.”
“Just trying to serve, Ma’am. Just trying to serve,” Noah said, glad that his weak attempt at humor seemed to have struck a chord with her.
“You’re a good bloke, Noah. Miriam’s a lucky girl.”
Noah felt his face flush, and he knew he was as red as a beet. He seemed to know what to tell others to cheer them up, but he felt embarrassed when others complimented him.
“Well, thank you for listening to me go on about my old man. I’d better get out of here before someone sees us and thinks we’re going at it like dogs in heat.”
Noah flushed even harder, if that was possible. One moment, Princess was meek and vulnerable, the next she was back to the earthy Marine he’d come to know.
“It might do your rep some good, but I wouldn’t want Miriam to think I’m moving in on her property.”
“Property? You think we’re, like, uh, like that?” Noah asked.
“Think so? No shit, Sherlock. It’s pretty obvious that she’s latched onto you, Noah. Not that anyone understands it,” she said with a laugh.
She must have seen the shocked look on his face, because she hastened to add, “Just joking, Noah. We understand it. Hell, I understand it. If you weren’t claimed property, maybe I’d take a shot at you.”
Noah’s look of shock had nothing to do with her jab about no one understanding it. It had to do with the idea that Miriam considered them a “thing,” that he was her property. Things had been going well between them, and they spent a lot of time together, but she had never said anything to him that might indicate she thought more of him than just a good friend.
Dora came here to get a pick-me-up, but she just returned the favor! This is good intel!
There was a chime as someone wanted entry. Normally, the hatch would be open and whoever it was could just lean his or her head in, but Princess had shut the hatch when she came in.
“Speaking of not starting rumors, I guess it’s too late now. Should I open the hatch?” Princess asked.
“Go ahead.
Pokky Opparell stuck her head into the hatch, keeping her body out of the room as if she was afraid to enter.
“Noah, I need to tell you something,” she said looking pointedly at Princess Mayhem.
“Uh, I can take a hint, Pokky,” Princess said.
She got up, then bent back down to plant a kiss on Noah’s forehead.
“Thank you, my brother,” she whispered before leaving the space.
“What do you want?” an embarrassed Noah asked after Princess had left.
“It’s about your sister.”
“I know. She should be back by now. I’ll see her later.”
The first sergeant had told Noah that Esther was being put in for the Navy Cross. That was a pretty big deal. With the battalion missing most of the fighting during the Evolution, it has been a long time since any Marine or sailor from the battalion had been recommended for such a high award. Pokky, with her nose into everything, must not know that the first sergeant had already told him about the recommendation.
“I think you need to see her now. They’re convening a Section Five on her, her and Lieutenant Markopoulos.”
“What?” he asked, confused. “No, she’s been recommended for the Navy Cross.”
“That, too, but now there’s a Section Five going being convened.”
“No, Pokky, you’ve got to be wrong. Who ever heard of both of those going on at the same time?”
“I’m not wrong. I saw the convening order myself. It’s happening. Your sister is with the lieutenant now seeing the SJA. And get this: the investigation officer is a Navy captain, appointed by Admiral Blankenship.”
It all suddenly fell into place. Admiral Blankenship was no friend of their father. This was payback, pure and simple. Noah felt the heat of anger rush from his toes to his head, taking over.
“Where is she now?”
“Like I told you. She’s with the lieutenant. They’re with the SJA.”
Noah put on his utility blouse as he marshaled his thoughts.
“You’re going to do something about this,
right? I mean, this is bullshit, and you know people.”
“Thank you, Pokky. And yes, I’m going to do something about this. But first, I have to see Ess.”
He brushed past Pokky, and headed for CC level, two below his and where Bravo Company was berthed. Marching into the NCO wing, he chimed his sister’s door. There wasn’t an answer, so he pulled out his PA and hacked the hatch—the app for that was an ill-kept secret that exploited a system-wide flaw in the programming.
Noah had never been in his sister’s quarters, but there wasn’t a question as to who’s side of the space was who’s. The lower rack had a pastoral view-screen over the head, an image of the morning sun lighting up a mountain meadow. A purple zebra, the kind you could win at a carnival, sat enthroned on a bright orange pillow. The top rack, on the other hand, was made with precision and lacked any degree of personalization. The desk along the other bulkhead was equally stark in contrast. A synthetic flower was attached to the bulkhead over one-half of the desk, a small chain with a heart hanging from it. Several print novels were lined up against the wall. On the other half of the desk, a coffee cup with styluses was the most prominent item. On the bulkhead over that half of the desk was a small plaque with the words “Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body.”
Noah pulled down the seat on the far bulkhead and waited, brooding as his anger simmered. Twenty minutes later, the hatch whisked open, and Corporal Gnarson, Esther’s roommate, came in. She saw him and froze.
“What the he—”
“I need your room,” Noah said, his tone brooking no discourse.
She looked at him a second, her posture wary.
“Is something wrong? Is Esther--”
“I need to talk to her in private.”
She stared at him for a few moments, her thoughts almost visible as they crossed her face, before she said, “OK. Let me get my PT gear, and I’m out of here. Uh, any idea how long you’ll be?”
“Don’t know, Corporal. She’s tied up at the moment.”
The United Federation Marine Corps' Lysander Twins: The Complete Series: Books 1-5 Page 22
