Casserine

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  Mercer nodded in agreement. “Hey, whose the Marine Commandant on Rigel now?”

  “I don’t know,” Jake admitted. “He has to be a General for a post on Rigel, so it may be someone who has been around the block. Maybe we’ll know him.”

  “I am General Jacque Chirar, Commandant of Marines on Rigel. You must be General Matthews.”

  General Chirar wore his dress blues, but without the new insignia of the United States Marine Corps, as ordered by Governor Risling when Earth Command had been destroyed. Jake looked over the lean, six-foot tall man, with pencil thin black mustache. Jake watched him with frank curiosity. Chirar had spoken with an old, almost extinct accent, Jake had only heard twice before, once on Omaha during the first Bug war, and again from some colonists at the Tarawa Jump Gate. Jake held out his hand in greeting, and Chirar gave him what Jake thought of as a dead fish handshake, cold and limp.

  “Nice meeting you,” Jake said, releasing the white flounder of a hand. “This is Colonel Charles Mercer, my Chief of Staff.”

  After observing Jake’s distasteful look while shaking Chirar’s hand, Mercer snapped to attention, and saluted to avoid the same experience. Chirar returned the salute, and then clasped his hands behind his back, jutting his head out slightly.

  “Well gentlemen, what can I do for you?”

  Jake glanced over at Mercer for a moment as if searching for illumination, but his friend had kept at attention with his eyes looking straight ahead.

  “A couple of things, General Chirar,” Jake began. “First, I notice you didn’t bring along a Marine detail to take charge of the prisoners aboard the Trenton; and secondly, I do not see the insignia for the United States Marines on your uniform along with the Stars and Stripes. Perhaps you could explain those two items to me before we go any further.”

  Chirar chortled, as if Jake had told him a humorous story. Mercer could not help but look over at Jake. Any semblance of humor, or even patience, had fled Jake’s face. Mercer smiled appreciatively, and returned his look to an area beyond Chirar.

  “We do not detain prisoners here, General Matthews,” Chirar instructed. “When we have some need for a trial, due to an instance of law breaking, where we have apprehended someone, we turn them over to the civilian authorities here on Rigel. As to this ridiculous insignia business, I am the Marine Commandant here, and have no need for.”

  “You are relieved of command, as of this moment, Chirar,” Jake said through clenched teeth. “Who is your Executive Officer, and where can I find him?”

  “Surely you’re not serious,” Chirar stuttered, his hands falling to his sides. “Really, Monsieur Matthews, I.”

  “I’m not interested in anything else you have to say,” Jake cut him off. “If you don’t tell me where your Exec is in the next five seconds, I will have a detail from the Trenton place you under arrest.”

  “I outrank you, Matthews. I.”

  “In case you’ve been underground for a while, General,” Mercer interrupted him, smiling at the man’s bewildered countenance. “Military Governor Risling made General Matthews Supreme Commander of all forces.”

  “Ridiculous,” Chirar exclaimed petulantly. “Just because you traipsed around in some caves with some form of insect, you call yourself a Supreme Commander? I will.”

  Jake waved Chirar to silence. He looked around to where Lieutenant McClure stood patiently with his company, and their prisoners back near the cargo bay they had just exited from. “Vic, you and a few of your men come over here on the double.”

  McClure pointed at three of his men, and ran over to where Jake and Mercer were talking to another officer with Major General rank indicated on his uniform. McClure and his Marines snapped to attention when they were next to Jake, and saluted smartly.

  “Yes, Sir?”

  “At ease,” Jake replied. “Place this ignorant cretin under arrest, and hold him with the other prisoners, in cuffs. Pay close attention to whether any of them recognize him.”

  “Aye, aye, Sir,” McClure said, and reached out one huge hand, gripping Chirar’s tunic.

  “Release me this instant, Lieutenant!” Chirar screamed, grabbing McClure’s hand with both of his to no avail, as McClure drew the struggling man close.

  “Don’t make me have to hurt you, Sir,” McClure whispered. “We can put you in cuffs while you’re awake or while you’re unconscious, your choice.”

  Chirar released McClure’s hand, fear quickly replacing rage, as he looked into the Lieutenant’s eyes. McClure dragged him around and pushed him gently towards his men. “Cuff him. We’ll take him back in a moment.”

  Two of the Marines roughly spun Chirar around, yanking his hands down, and around behind him, while the third Marine put energy cuffs on him. McClure turned back around to Jake and Mercer.

  “Anything else, Sir?”

  “No Vic,” Jake answered, “but it seems you guys will have to hang around here for a little while. The Colonel and I have to go and do some rearrangement of personnel. If the Drop Ship sets down while we’re gone, get ready for liberty in shifts until we get back with some real Marines.”

  “Aye, aye, Sir.”

  Jake started walking towards the land vehicle Chirar had come in, where the Marine who had been his driver paced around, looking very confused. Turning around suddenly, bringing Mercer to a stop as well, Jake called back to McClure again.

  “Hey Vic, when we get back, if you need a guide to where the Rigel brig is, the Colonel here can take.”

  Instantly seeing where this newest line of instruction was going, Mercer shoved Jake. “Get moving Destructo, before I pull my blaster.”

  Jake was already laughing, as he returned to his prior course. When Jake and Mercer drew near the corporal who had been Chirar’s driver, he immediately came to attention and saluted, recognition flooding his face.

  “Gen…General Matthews?”

  “Yes Corporal. ah. Wolonski, is it?” Jake asked, looking at the corporal’s nametag.

  “Yes, Sir!”

  “Colonel Mercer and I need you to take us to where your Executive Officer is, can you do that?”

  “Aye, aye, Sir,” Wolonski replied. “Colonel Whitehall is in his office. I’d be honored to take you there. I saw all your missions on vid. We all did. I can’t believe I’m talking to you in person, Sir.”

  “At ease, Wolonski,” Jake smiled.

  Wolonski relaxed into an ‘at ease’ stance, his thick musculature, and squared away demeanor, reminded Jake of most of the Marines he had gone into battle with over the years. Jake thought he looked to be only about five-feet eight inches tall, but Wolonski was broad through the shoulders and chest.

  “’Ski,” Mercer proclaimed. “This Colonel Whitehall ain’t some other Earth Command pussy like Chirar, is he?”

  Wolonski hesitated, shocked at how his commanding officer had fallen from commander to Earth Command pussy in one sentence. “No Sir, he’s a stand up guy, Sir.”

  “Let’s go see him then,” Jake said.

  “General Matthews!”

  A tall, thin, gray haired man strode out of the building, Wolonski had pulled up in front of. Wolonski had called ahead, to make sure the Executive Officer of the Marine detachment on Rigel would be in his office. Jake and Mercer exited the land vehicle. Jake walked towards the smiling man, with Colonel’s insignia on his lapels, and Whitehall on his nametag. Whitehall stopped, came to attention, and saluted. Jake returned the salute, and held out his hand.

  “Colonel Whitehall, I presume?”

  “Yes Sir,” Whitehall replied, shaking first Jake’s hand, and then Mercer’s. “Colonel Mercer? I recognize you from the vids we have of your Bug missions. It is a pleasure to meet you both. I do not have to tell you of your legendary status around here.”

  “Chirar didn’t exactly share your view, Colonel,” Jake commented, noting a British accent in Whitehall’s voice. “Have you served with him long?”

  A darkness came over Whitehall’s features at the
mention of his commander, and the smile disappeared. “I’ve served with him here for three years, General. Where is General Chirar, Sir? He was to meet you at the Trenton docking.”

  “Oh, we met him, Colonel,” Mercer replied.

  “Colonel,” Jake began. “Do you know why a squad of Marines did not meet us with the General, and secondly, why the insignia of the United States Marine Corps appears no where on anyone’s uniform, along with the American flag? You did get the order from the Military Governor’s office, right?”

  “Yes Sir, we did, and were ordered to ignore it by the General. Our Marines had rushed out to get issued the insignia, which came with the hand carried order. The rumors were already out, and General Chirar squashed the whole thing inside of an hour. As to a request for Marines to accompany General Chirar to the Trenton, this is the first I have heard of it. He simply rushed out in a rage after receiving a direct message from the Intrepid.”

  Jake nodded, with a knowing glance at Mercer. “That’s pretty much how we figured it. How do you feel about the changes?”

  “I can only say, Sir, I was ready to retire, rather than serve another day under that prissy ass nitwit, Chirar. The news of the end of Earth Command had given me new hope.”

  “That’s plain enough, Colonel,” Jake laughed. “General Chirar has been relieved of command, and arrested under suspicion of complicity with the pirate activity around Rigel. I am promoting you to Commandant of Marines on Rigel. I want United States Flags flown everywhere on Rigel, and the proper insignia added to every Marine’s uniform. Can you do that, Colonel?”

  “With pleasure, Sir,” Whitehall said happily. “I have had suspicions about Chirar, but he was very careful in his dealings. He received reports from our patrol ships of unusual activity around Rigel, and he ordered the patrols to pay more attention to their duties rather than shipping movement in orbit.”

  “That explains a few things,” Mercer observed. “Jake and I were stationed around the Tarawa Jump Gate, during the skirmishes with the pirates. We did some time here on Rigel, and nobody in a ship ever came close to this base unless they had a Force Cruiser chaperone.”

  “It was as you say, right up until Chirar came here from Earth, after receiving a trumped up generalship. If that moron ever wore a uniform before he came here, I will eat the corporal’s land rover. A loosening up of docking and ship traffic regulations came soon after. Chirar began having dealings with some shady looking transport owner, named…ah…Sogram, or Soagam…”

  “Sodom?” Mercer broke in.

  “Yes, exactly,” Whitehall replied. “It was Sodom, Sodom Hushanni. Chirar told me he was a higher up at Earth Command, who they sent to keep an eye on Rigel’s trading operations.”

  “Now we’re getting somewhere, Charlie,” Jake said, nodding at his friend. “It seems we have the right man in custody. We better get back over to the Trenton, and see how the prisoners reacted to Chirar.”

  ‘Tea,” Mercer said, rubbing his hands together. “We better have my buddy, Soddie, flown back down here too. He has been a very bad boy. I asked him for all of his contacts around here. Do you think he may have been praying to get left with his honey, Chirar, as a prisoner?”

  “I think we may assume that fact to be in evidence, my friend,” Jake agreed. “Do you really want to do any more happy sessions now, before we see how the old Bombay is doing?”

  “They’ll still be in the brig a couple of days from now, won’t they, Colonel?” Mercer asked Whitehall.

  “Either there, or dead, Colonel Mercer,” Whitehall replied grimly. “You have my word on it. Corporal Wolonski will take you anywhere you need to go, General Matthews. I will have Marines at the Trenton to take custody of the prisoners in fifteen minutes.”

  Jake shook Whitehall’s hand again. “Pleasure doing business with you, Colonel. What’s your first name, by the way?”

  “My friends call me Whitey,” the Colonel answered with some discomfort. “I’d be honored to have you and Colonel Mercer counted among them.”

  “C’mon Whitey, you’re among friends,” Mercer coaxed, Jake seeing a familiar mean streak popping out unbidden into Mercer’s features. “What’s your first name?”

  “Forget it, Colonel,” Jake said quickly. “Don’t take Charlie’s bait. He never forgets anything he’s supposed to forget, and remembers nothing of what he is supposed to retain.”

  “My first name is in the records, so I cannot very well hide it anyway,” Whitehall sighed. “My first name is Percy.”

  “Oh…my…God,” Mercer said in awe, a huge smile spreading onhis face.

  “Oh boy,” Jake inserted, running his hand over the back of his neck as he looked at the ground in front of him.

  “I love your first name,” Mercer continued. “Don’t pay any attention to this uncivilized jarhead. He don’t even know what his real first name is. Can I call you Percy?”

  “Only you, Colonel,” Whitehall grinned, good naturedly, “but nothing over a whisper.”

  Mercer laughed, clapping a big hand on Whitehall’s shoulder. “Thanks Percy, old man, I appreciate that.”

  “Would this be a good time to mention I have one of the only pirated copies of your faux pas in the nest operation, where you fell on your face…an…”

  “Oh God, Colonel,” Jake exclaimed, roaring with laughter as Mercer’s jaw had dropped in shock. “Now is the perfect time.”

  “I am going to cut that red haired prick’s ears off,” Mercer hissed through clenched teeth.

  “It is very well done, Colonel Mercer,” Whitehall added, his timing impeccable. “Somehow, it came through in a rather humorous loop. You.”

  “Never mind,” Mercer cut in, folding his arms in resignation as Jake continued one fit of laughter after another.

  “C’mon, Charlie,” Jake said, pulling Mercer towards the land rover, as a smiling Corporal Wolonski had already jumped into the driver’s seat. “I can’t take any more displays of your wit. “See you later, Colonel.”

  “Yes Sir,” Whitehall saluted. “Perhaps I could stop by the Bombay later. I could bring the vid loop with me.”

  Whitehall watched the land rover pull away in the direction of the Trenton, with Jake’s laughter echoing out of the open window.

  Chapter 49

  Celebration

  Lieutenant McClure saluted, standing in front of his Marines and their prisoners.

  “At ease, Vic,” Jake said as he saluted. “How did introducing Chirargo?”

  “I saw recognition, Sir,” McClure replied. “They also seemed disappointed.”

  “We found out Chirar has a connection with Hushanni and the pirates, and this puts the final touches to our suspicions. I’m going to have Hushanni brought down from the Intrepid, and Colonel Mercer is going to convince him to connect the dots,” Jake explained.

  “A Marine detachment from Rigel will be along any minute,” Mercer added. “You can hand over the prisoners to them. We’ll keep Chirar with us.”

  “Aye, aye, Sir.”

  A Drop Ship came into view just as Mercer walked over and grabbed Chirar to pull him to his feet from amongst the other prisoners. The smaller ship set down alongside where the huge transport was being settled into repair dock. Jake headed in the direction of the Drop Ship with Mercer dragging along a reluctant Chirar. As they reached the side hatch, it opened, and Dougherty came out with a headset in his hand.

  “I have Colonel Peters on from the Intrepid, Sir,” Dougherty said, handing the headset to Jake, while giving a scowling Mercer a little wave.

  Jake put on the headset to check in. “Matthews here.”

  “We sent everything down we could think of, General, including the dress blues for your Marines, and the first wave of crew going on liberty. Do you need anything else, or has there been any change in plan?”

  “Only one thing, Jas,” Jake replied. “I need Hushanni flown down here. Some complications and revelations have happened since we set down. I believe we are about to so
lve a couple of nagging questions about pirate influence on Rigel.”

  “I’ll send him down with the next ship, Sir, anything else?”

  “I want you and Sara to join us at the Bombay later for a little celebration. Can you turn the Intrepid over to someone else for a little R&R?”

  “It would be our pleasure, Jake,” Peters agreed. “I’m sending out a couple of Command Wings on rotating patrol to make sure we don’t get any surprises.”

  “Good idea, Jas. You and Sara come on down when you can.”

  “Will do, Peters out.”

  The liberty party from the Intrepid began filing out of the now open rear hatch. Some of the Marines, who had just arrived, went over and relieved McClure’s company so they could go on board the Drop Ship to clean up and dress. Jake and Mercer had already followed Dougherty back through the side hatch with Chirar in tow. They sat down near Dougherty’s deck gun, where he had made some tea on a portable brewer. Dougherty handed Jake and Mercer a cup, and filled them up. He gestured at Chirar, who had been deposited on the floor.

  “A General, huh?”

  “Tea, he’s been Soddie’s contact on Rigel for quite some time,” Jake answered.

  Chirar began to protest, and Mercer kicked him in the side, evoking a howl of pain as Chirar fell over. He lay there writhing around. Dougherty, in the meantime, filled a cup of tea for himself, and sat down on the bench cattycorner to Jake and Mercer.

  “What’s the matter with you, Charlie?” Dougherty asked the still scowling Mercer.

  “He found out about a few of your vid loops of him in the nest getting out to the colonies,” Jake informed him appreciatively.

  “Uh oh,” Dougherty said. “I was saving that as a surprise.”