“Why do I bring that up? Because maybe I fear they are listening to us now, no matter what suppression fields you have in this room. My superiors can sure hear me,” she said, holding up her earbud again. “Maybe it’s nothing more than a gut feeling, but I believe tomorrow will be too late. I believe that the Klethos quad will report to their superiors today whether you have re-embraced honor or not. My fear, which makes me tremble in the very core of my being, is that without the quad’s acceptance, we will be at war within hours.”
It wasn’t just her inner core, but her whole body was trembling. She tried to bring her hands behind her to hide it. She’d given her plea, all the time not knowing if she was even right. She had broken specific orders, and by doing so, might have drawn humanity into a war.
“So, what do you suggest we do?” the first brother quietly asked.
“Ask the Klethos. Tell them you understand honor.”
The first brother looked to the archcardinal, who gave him the slightest of nods.
“Foue, can you go get the Klethos and bring them here?” Sky asked.
“No,” the first brother said. “I will go to them.”
He stood up and walked across the room, flanked by the other five men. Stopping to take off his shoes at the door, he then motioned Williams to open it.
“You are playing big games, girl,” Foue whispered, as they fell into place behind the Brotherhood leadership.
“Do you think I’m wrong?”
“They do,” she said, pointing at her ear. “I’m hearing words like ‘treason.’”
“Words are words,” she whispered to herself, quoting Glinda, then asked Foue, “But do you think I’m wrong?”
“No, I think you nailed it, and that might have saved us.”
Sky wanted to throw up as they marched down the hall, and she felt faint. The die was cast, and things were out of her hands, and that made it worse.
When Williams opened the door, the four Klethos were standing in the middle of the room in their diamond formation, upper arms folded as they faced the door. Sky knew at that moment that she had been right. They knew what had transpired in the room. What she didn’t know was how it had been received.
The first brother walked straight up to Glinda and immediately went prone, face-down. The other five followed suit. Sky, taken by surprise, started to go down as well until a soft touch from Norelco on her arm kept her upright.
His face on the ground, the first brother said, “Ambassadors, I humbly offer my sincere regret for our misguided actions. We misunderstood what was honorable and what wasn’t. In good faith, we withdrew from the rest of mankind, foolishly thinking that to interfere with others was not honorable. When our own world of Destiny was invaded, however, we learned what true honor is. Despite our abandoning you, and despite abandoning the rest of humanity, both of you came to defend us. Both Klethos and humans lost their lives for those of us who spurned you.
“I am ashamed of this, and I humbly ask of you the chance to regain our honor. Let us show you what we have learned. Let us prove ourselves.”
With his arms outspread and his face on the ground, Sky was struck at how much he looked like the Klethos gladiator Sally Mae when she offered herself to the Purple Sledgehammer, the act that initiated the Klethos-Human alliance. Sky wondered if the first brother had done that on purpose.
He was a wily politician, so she would bet on yes.
His apology and request to regain honor seemed specious and simple theater to her. It wasn’t up to her, however. It was how the Klethos received it that mattered.
And for a long moment, they said nothing, all four standing motionless. Sky wondered if they were just thinking, if they were conducting their own set of theater, or if they were in communications with their bosses.
Finally, Glinda spread all four arms and said, “Honor lost is not easily regained. Make sure you achieve your goals, d’lamma.”
As one, the four stepped forward, parting around the prone men to leave the room.
Gary, the back position in the diamond, reached out and pulled Sky in as he passed, saying, “You understand, Skylar Ybarra. You have honor enough for all, and I thank you,” before he straightened and followed the other three out of the room.
“Where are they going?” Bishop Van Meter asked, raising his head.
“I imagine back to Earth, or their homeworld. Who knows?” Sky said, an unbelievable wave of calm sweeping over her. “They don’t need to wait for our ship, after all.”
“But, what’s happening?” the first brother asked. “Did they accept?”
“She called you d’lamma,” Foue said.
“I’m afraid I don’t know that term.”
“It is like a child, one who doesn’t understand things such as honor, someone who needs to be taught.”
“So, if we need to be taught, I take it they are not about to launch an assault on our worlds?” he asked, standing and brushing off his robe, all hint of remorse gone.
“I think that would be a safe assumption,” Norelco said.
“Then, before I return to the Great Hall, do we have a deal?” he asked, hand out to Sky.
He hadn’t been entirely sincere, she knew, only debasing himself to save his people. She resented the Brotherhood’s attacks and the loss of life on Destiny. And she was positive that he was going to make no mention of honor in the Great Hall. But stakes were too big for her personal feelings.
And as he’d said, needs must be done when the devil drives.
She was probably already fired, so she didn’t bother to get back on her earbud. Let them arrest her when she got back. She looked him dead in the eyes and took his hand.
“Deal.”
AEGIS 2
Chapter 40
Hondo
“Man, oh, man, this sure tastes good,” Pickerul said as she drained the entire cider, then slammed the stein back down, smacking her lips.
“Slow down, Lance Corporal,” Hondo said. “We’ve got all night.”
“Then no reason to wait now, huh? I mean, Sergeant, sir!” she said, snapping off a sloppy salute. “Me and Tony B are buying, so you just drink there.”
“To lance corporals!” Tony B shouted, raising his beer.
That brought a round of cheers, and more than a few steins were drained. Both Marines had been promoted on the ship on the way back to Camp Walters, but this was the first opportunity since then for a wetting down.
“To fallen comrades!” Wolf shouted, standing up.
“To fallen comrades,” the rest shouted, a little more subdued.
Alpha Company had taken horrendous losses, many lost to the black after the Zrínyi was hit, more in the fighting because they were too far gone for resurrection. First Squad had made it through with five Marines and Doc Leach, which was the most of any squad in the company. Doc had been right about Hanaburgh, though. He was one of the six survivors, having been brought back on the ship and only given a week of rehabilitation.
Second Squad’s four Marines made it the second-largest squad left. The scuttlebutt was that the company had suffered more combat losses of any Marine Company since the War of the Far Reaches. The scuttlebutt was also that the company was being put in for the Chairman’s Unit Citation, something that had only been given out to a company-sized Marine unit three other times.
Hondo didn’t know much about that. He’d just as soon have his Marines back and skip the award. But there seemed to be an inordinate amount of interest in the company. Each of them had gone through extensive debriefings, starting on the way to J-Point, and that hadn’t stopped until they’d arrived back on Aegis 2 that morning.
The company was being held up as a “hero” company, not only highlighting the fight against the Grubs, but also as a shameful reminder to the Brotherhood.
Screw it, he thought, taking another swallow of beer. I don’t want to think about all of that tonight.
Other Marines in the club were giving their group a wide berth, but Hon
do could catch their surreptitious glances. It was probably to be expected, but he was grateful that at least for now, they were given the chance to celebrate alone, celebrate not only the two new lance corporals, but just being alive.
“Hey, Jones, where’s your squad leader?” he asked one of the Second Squad Marines. “She’s falling behind.”
“She’s meeting her sister. She said she’s still coming, though.”
“She’d better make it,” Hondo said.
Hondo grabbed a handful of popcorn out of the basket. As a kid, he’d never really liked popcorn, which rather set him apart, but as every two-bit fabricator in every bar could make the stuff without pause, he’d gotten used to the salty taste to complement his beer. It wasn’t going to fill his stomach, but they had pizza coming as soon as the staff sergeant and lieutenant made it there.
Hondo wasn’t sure he’d ever seen an officer in the E-club. It just wasn’t done. But until the powers that be decided what was going to happen to Alpha Company, Lieutenant Abrams was the only officer, just as Staff Sergeant Rutledge was the only Staff NCO. This might officially be a lance corporal wetting down, but every one of them wanted all of them to raise a glass together, the lone officer included.
He thought the lieutenant needed it. It was pretty obvious that the man blamed himself for all the losses. He’d been almost unapproachable since leaving Destiny, locked up in his stateroom unless some specific duty pulled him out. After he finished, he was right back inside—brooding, for all anyone knew. The staff sergeant was concerned about the man, but he thought that getting together with the survivors like this would do him a world of good.
Hondo understood the lieutenant’s feelings. He felt the same thing. His job has been to get all of his Marines back safe and sound, and in that, he’d failed. But that was part of being a Marine. You toasted fallen comrades, you kept their memory alive, but you marched on, ready to march to the sound of guns again.
“Sergeant Riordan, you’re a pitcher behind!” Wolf shouted.
Hondo swiveled in his seat to see Cara and a woman who looked exactly like her in tow, all heading to their table. He stood up, not quite sure why. That was Cara, after all, just one of the guys.
“Sorry to be late. Lauren here kept me gabbing. I haven’t seen her in two years.”
Lauren was a petty officer in the Navy, Hondo knew, but not much more than that. She did look exactly like Cara, but somehow, it registered to him differently. He stood, saying nothing, as Cara went around the table, naming everyone.
“And this big lug is Hondo McKeever,” she said, after coming around the table to him.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Lauren said, her eyes sparkling with a force of personality.
“Don’t believe a word. I swear I didn’t do it,” Hondo said, his standard retort while the rest of the table laughed.
“Yes, he did!” Wolf said. “We know the truth.”
“Well, are you going to offer two thirsty souls a drink?” Cara asked.
Tony B, as one of the two hosts, jumped up, holding pitchers of beer and cider. Cara took the cider, Lauren the beer. Cara wormed her way between Wolf and Hondo, shoving the corporal away with a butt-swipe, and she and Lauren sat down.
More drink flowed, and the popcorn was replaced a couple of times. Hondo’s stomach was growling, and the beer was getting him a little tipsy on his empty stomach, but he was happy, sitting with his fellow Marines. Doc Leach got up, shoved his way between Lauren and Wolf, and started talking Navy talk, all about promotions and such, and Hondo felt a pang of, well—not jealousy, for sure. He just wanted a chance to get to know the sister of his good friend.
“Hey, when’s the pizza coming?” Hanaburgh asked.
“Not until the lieutenant and staff sergeant get here,” Cara said. “We agreed to that.”
“Well, they’d better get here soon.”
Hondo checked his PA. The two of them were late. He quickly typed a Where are you? to Staff Sergeant Rutledge, who replied a minute later with, On my way to the Q. The lieutenant’s not answering.
OK, hurry up. We’re waiting on you for the pizza.
Cara got up to use the head, and suddenly, Lauren was sitting next to him. He didn’t know what to say, so he listened to the rest of the Marines while Lauren and Doc Leach were lamenting the time it took to make E5. When Cara came back, she came around to the other side and sat on Hondo’s left, which scooched him closer to her sister. As he and Cara chatted, he was extremely aware of his thigh touching Lauren’s.
“So, what do you think of my sister, Hondo?” Cara asked suddenly.
He felt his face burn, feeling guilty for some reason he couldn’t explain.
“Uh . . . she seems nice,” he said lamely.
“Nice? Ha! You don’t know her yet. Hey, Lauren, Hondo thinks you’re nice. Are you?”
Lauren tilted her head back in laughed—not a dainty, feminine trill, but a full-throated guffaw.
“Nice? I’m afraid no one’s ever called me nice. Lots of other things, but never nice.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything,” Hondo said, trying to rush out the words.
“Oh, don’t worry,” she said, putting her hand on his forearm. “It’s just a family joke. It’s fine.”
Hondo wasn’t sure it was fine, but he wanted to talk to her.
She pulled her hand away and just started to turn back to Doc when he blurted out, “So, how long are you going to be here?”
“Here? On Aegis? I’m on a week’s leave, but I report in to Holcomb Station after that.”
“No shit? Holcomb?”
“Yeah, so I can keep an eye on my sister, there.”
“Or I can keep my eye on you, you mean,” Cara said.
“Whatever.”
Holcomb Station was the naval base that supported the system. It was only a short shuttle ride to the planet’s surface.
Hondo was about to say that they were going to be neighbors or some other inane comment when he was saved by a chant of “Pizza, pizza, pizza” that grew in volume.
“What do you think?” Cara asked. “Do we wait?”
Hondo shot off another message to the staff sergeant, and when there was no reply, he told her, “We might as well order. I don’t know what’s going on.”
“You two lance corporals, it’s your call. I’m not sure when the lieutenant’s going to make it.”
Pickerul and Tony B looked around the table, then Tammy said, “Let’s get it. We can get another when they get here.”
She punched in the order to the cheers of the rest.
“So, what is your designator in the Navy?” Hondo asked Lauren to keep the conversation going.
“I’m a cryptologist,” she answered.
Hondo had heard the word before, but he didn’t exactly know what it meant, so he kept his mouth shut and nodded knowingly. This was pretty much what he kept doing as she went on about her last duty station, aboard the giant FS Canada, one of the newest battleships in the Navy.
The pizzas arrived, not via the server tunnel, but carried by the E-Club manager himself.
“They’re on the house,” he said. “We’re all so proud of you.”
Hondo should have felt happy, but that hit him with a touch of melancholy. From the looks of it, a few of the others felt the same way. They thanked him, though, and he left with a satisfied-looking smile.
“You got off cheap,” Wolf said. “I think you owe us another.”
“This is the wetting down, corporal, and you get what you get,” Tony B said.
There were good-natured hoots at that, and things got rolling again.
Hondo filled Lauren’s stein when Cara said, “Finally, here’s the staff sergeant.”
Hondo looked up, ready to call out when the look on the staff sergeant’s face as he approached them stopped him cold.
Pickerul, though, grabbed a used stein, tipped it over so the last drops of someone else’s beer ran out, and filled it before holdin
g it up and saying, “Here you go, Staff Sergeant. Better late than never.”
Staff Sergeant Rutledge ignored the drink and said, “All of you, listen up.” A few of them kept talking, so he shouted, “I said listen up!”
“I just came from the lieutenant’s quarters.”
“When’s he coming?” Pickerul asked, still holding the full stein of beer.
The staff sergeant’s fingers were trembling, something Hondo focused on. He was drifting, almost an out-of-body experience. Somehow, someway, he knew what his platoon sergeant was going to say.
Staff Sergeant Rutledge took a deep breath of air, and as Hondo expected, he said, “He’s not. He just killed himself.”
Epilogue
Hondo
Newly promoted Gunnery Sergeant Roy Rutledge lowered the company’s colors, and the commanding general attached the Chairman’s Unit Commendation to the headpiece. Conscious of the press recording the ceremony, Hondo stared straight ahead, but he watched with his peripheral vision.
Company colors did not normally display battle streamers, so the commendation ribbon looked lonely hanging there as the general saluted and the gunny raised them. It should look odd. Only two other Marine companies had been so honored in the past; Alpha Company, First Battalion, Fourteenth Marines, made it three.
Hondo felt a deep sense of pride, but that was mixed with the melancholy that had permeated his thoughts, more so since Lieutenant Abrams had committed suicide. The Navy Cross that now hung on his chest, pinned on just 20 minutes ago by the new Second Vice-Minster, Skylar Ybarra herself, didn’t do much to alleviate the depression.
Alpha Company had boarded the Zrínyi with 163 Marines and sailors. Standing with Hondo were twenty-two others: the survivors. Except for entire Marine units lost when ships were destroyed, Alpha and Charlie Company had suffered the highest casualty rate for a company since the War of the Far Reaches.
Alpha was now one of the most decorated companies in Marine Corps history as well. The awards ceremony had been going on for 45 minutes now, as every surviving member was awarded at least a Bronze Star. Doc Leach, Tammy Pickerul Tony B. Good, Robert Hanaburgh, Lorenzo Marasco, Cara Riordan, and Hope Running Fox from Second Squad received Silver Stars—Running Fox’s and Lorenzo’s posthumously. Hondo, Staff Sergeant Rutledge, and Curtis “Wolf” Johnson were awarded Navy Crosses, as were First Sergeant Nordstrand and Captain Ariç, the latter two posthumously.
The Price of Honor Page 24
