Risen From Ashes

by Sam Schall

  “Ooh-rah,” Ash said softly and Tremayne smiled.

  “Ooh-rah indeed, Colonel.” She glanced around the table, letting her gaze rest on each person present. “In all likelihood, this will be an easy mission and nothing will go wrong. However, let’s not let ourselves be lulled into a false sense of security. If something looks or feels wrong, don’t ignore it. Let’s not take any unnecessary risks.”

  An hour later, she dismissed those gathered. When she looked up from her notes a few moments later, it didn’t surprise her to find Nelms still at his place at the table. Then she saw the other two who remained and shook her head, a rueful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She should have expected Ashlyn to remain, but she was still having a hard time accepting the fact Sergeant Major Anisimova was present as well. The Corps’ senior non-commissioned officer had reported to the flagship shortly before they left the system. Her orders were clear and came directly from General Okafor. She was Ashlyn’s acting senior non-com until they returned to Fuercon. That was all the time the colonel had to decide who would replace Talbot.

  “Mr. Nelms, your shuttle will be ready to depart in half an hour,” Tremayne said as she set her datapad to one side.

  “Excellent. Thank you. I can’t help feeling the sooner we deal with this situation, the better.”

  “Colonel, what about his escort?”

  “The good sergeant major has hand-picked his escort, ma’am.” Ash grinned at Anisimova and Tremayne narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “I added my own twist to it.”

  The look Anisimova gave Ash had Tremayne biting her lip to keep from laughing. Whatever Ash had done, the sergeant major didn’t appreciate it.

  “Really now?” Tremayne arched one red brow in question.

  “Ambassador, Sgt. Major Anisimova will be leading your escort. It will consist of half a dozen Marines from the Devil Dogs and Warlords. All will be in battle armor and two will be in heavy armor. My orders from both General Okafor and President Harper are clear. Your escort is to be armed and armored at all times, no matter what the Midlothians say. They are tasked first with keeping you safe. After that, their priorities are to get the ambassador to safety. That means, sir, if the sergeant major tells you to do something, you will do so. Otherwise, I assure you she will take whatever steps she feels necessary to make sure she carries out our orders.”

  “What Colonel Shaw means is I will have one of the heavies throw you over his shoulder and carry you out of danger if necessary, sir,” Anisimova said.

  “Heard and understood.” He grinned at them both before turning serious. “You forget I spent almost twenty years in the Navy before I was beached due to injury. My respect for Marines in general and your regiment in particular, Colonel, means I will do as you say.”

  “Thank you, sir.” She turned her attention to Tremayne. “With your permission then, ma’am, the sergeant major and I have some matters to deal with before the Secretary and his escort leave the ship.”

  “Of course.” She stood and returned their salutes. “Colonel, join me for dinner tonight.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Have your aide comm me with the details.”

  “I’m not sure which of them scares me more, Miranda,” Nelms said with a light laugh as the hatch slid shut behind them.

  “I know what you mean. Anisimova was senior non-com on the colonel’s first mission out of the Academy. She took Ashlyn under her wing and they’ve been close ever since then. To say they are made from the same mold is understating the case.” She returned to her seat. “Now, Marc, let’s see if we can anticipate what Vreman and his people are going to say when you meet with them later today.”

  “Any questions?” Ashlyn leaned back and stretched her arms high over her head, stretching.

  Edita Anisimova shook her head, her expression thoughtful. “A suggestion is all.”

  Ash didn’t shake her head even though she wanted to. She had no doubt the sergeant major had more than one “suggestion”. The blonde had not been pleased to learn she would be leading the ambassador’s security team. The only thing that had mollified her was learning Ash would remain onboard the Atlantis Rising. Even that, however, hadn’t stopped her from telling the colonel she knew exactly what Ash was doing and she didn’t like it one bit.

  “Go ahead.”

  As she waited, Ash admitted to herself it was strange to have their roles reversed. When they first served together, Ash was fresh out of the Academy. Like so many newly minted officers, she’d felt invincible. At least she knew enough to listen to her gunnery sergeant. Because of that, she’d learned a great deal from Anisimova that first tour. The blonde helped shape her into the officer she was today. But now it was her command and even though Anisimova was the Corps’ senior non-com, she knew her job was to support the regimental commander. Not that it stopped her telling Ash exactly what she thought when they were alone.

  “Instead of sending Lt. Connery—and this isn’t knocking her. She’s a credit to the Corps, but she’s still green as an officer—send Captain Anderson. Not only does she have the reputation of being a no-nonsense Marine, but she knows how you think. If the shit hits the fan, she will know what to do. Besides, doing so will send a message to the Midlothians who are smart enough to check our public bios. It tells them you aren’t taking any chances with Nelms.”

  Ashlyn leaned back and lifted her booted feet onto the corner of her desk. For several long moments, she considered Anismova’s suggestion. As she did, she admitted it made sense. M. J. Adamson made a reputation almost as formidable as Anismova’s as a non-com before being mustanged to her current rank. Having the two of them as part of the Secretary’s escort should make anyone think twice before trying anything.

  But there was another factor, one the sergeant major didn’t mention, to consider. Nelms was more likely to listen to a captain than he was a lieutenant. Even so, she wanted Connery to get the experience of dealing with politicians and she knew the chance to serve closely with Anisimova was something she didn’t want to take away from the young woman.

  “Let’s compromise. I’ll put MJ in command of the escort team, but I want Connery to go as well.” She stopped Anisimova before the woman could interrupt. “Edita, she needs the seasoning as an officer. More than that, I remember my first assignment. Working closely with you, helped me learn how to be an officer. I’m asking you to do the same with her. You can relate to her on a level I can’t. She joined the Corps as a private and never expected to be anything but the best non-com she could. Suddenly finding herself wearing bars has thrown her. She’s done a damned good job hiding it, but I know her. I’ve seen the insecurity when she thinks no one is looking.”

  For a moment, the blonde said nothing. Then she nodded. Seeing how the blonde’s eyes twinkled, Ash narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Anisimova was up to something and she knew the woman well enough to realize it didn’t bode well for her.

  “I think we both know the Midlothians are going to do everything they can to delay our mission. That means Admiral Tremayne and Secretary Nelms will likely order us to evacuate the embassy and other allied holdings in the system. When that happens and when the Midlothians realize we are pulling out, the shit will hit the fan. You need to make sure the regimental elements are ready to not only repel anyone foolish enough to try to board our ships but to carry out SAR dirtside. If that happens, I know you, kid. You’re going to want to lead the charge. You can’t. You’ll be needed up here to coordinate our efforts. Promise me you’ll stay here.”

  Ash frowned. She’d been played and she knew it. Anisimova was right. She would want to lead any SAR mission if things went south. But, as regimental commander, her place wasn’t on the front line but behind the scenes, coordinating and making sure her people were getting the orders and support they needed. Damn it, she hated command at times like this.

  Still, what were the chances they would face any real challenge from the Midlothians? The government was the sort to work behind the scenes, playing on
e party against another. They didn’t have the stomach for direct action. What harm could come from agreeing to Anisimova’s terms?

  “Agreed.” She laughed softly when Anisimova looked at her in open suspicion.

  “That was too easy. What are you planning?”

  “For once, I can honestly say nothing.” She waited until the sergeant major sighed and nodded once. “Edita, you’re right. My place is here, at least in the situation you described. But let’s be honest. The Midlothians may bluster and bluff but they won’t try anything. In fact, I have a feeling that once they realize we’re serious about not only pulling out our corporate and diplomatic personnel and their dependents but our military as well, they’ll be begging us to stay. When that happens, they’ll do just about anything Nelms asks them to.”

  “But?”

  “I’ve got a bad feeling about the other factor in this equation.”

  Anisimova looked as if she understood. “The Callusians?”

  Ash nodded. “I know FleetCom feels we have time, possibly weeks or even months, before they strike back over what we did to them in the Savitar VI System. I’m not so sure. We not only managed to free the system, but we defeated one of their most revered commanders. Unlike most people, they won’t spend time mourning their losses. They will want vengeance for Dadd’s death. Add to that what they see as the Midlothians’ betrayal and everything lines up for them setting their sights on this system in the very near future. I want to make sure we’re prepared if that happens while we’re on-station.”

  “You and the admiral are of the same mind.”

  “We’ve had a few discussions about it.” To say the very least. “I’m going to let you in on some of what we’ve discussed. If things do go south while you’re dirtside, there’s the very real possibility Nelms will dig his heels in. He’ll want to stay until the embassy staff and dependents have been moved onto ships. He’ll want to keep negotiating with the government. Neither of those things will happen. Is that understood?” She pinned Anisimova with a look that had the woman nodding in agreement. “I don’t care what you have to do, but at the first sign of trouble, he is to be tossed onto a shuttle and removed to safety. That order comes not only from me and Miranda but from President Harper himself.”

  “I’ll make sure of it.” She leaned forward, elbows on her knees. As she did, her expression turned serious. “Are you sure about sending us down in full battle rattle?”

  Ash arched one brow.

  “Okay,” the blonde laughed. “It’s not really full battle rattle but the pols won’t know it. We’re likely to scare them to death.”

  “Good.” Ash dropped her feet to the floor and stood. “Edita, I hope they shit themselves when they see you. How many of our people, how many of our friends, have died because of their machinations?” She held up a hand before the blonde could respond. “Too many. But no more. We put an end to it now, one way or another. That’s not just my order or Miranda’s. It comes straight from the president.”

  “Can’t say I disagree.” Anisimova stood and checked her wrist unit. “I’d best go gear up.”

  “I’ll be there with final orders in fifteen.” Ash walked with her to the hatch. “Watch yourself down there, Durga.”

  “I will.” She rested a hand on Ash’s upper arm. “I’m proud of you, kid, and I’m proud to be serving with you again.”

  “Same here.”

  Back at her desk, Ashlyn sat and considered what she wanted to say to the escort team. But first, she needed to tell both Connery and Adamson they would be part of the team. Before she did that, however, she needed to get her worry for Adamson under control. This was the woman’s first away mission since nearly losing her life six months earlier. Hopefully, she was right and nothing unforeseen would happen.

  Government Center

  Caspian Bay, Midlothian

  “Secretary of State Marc Nelms and Ambassador Morgan Izaguirre.” Bethany Waas’ aide announced before standing aside so Nelms could enter the conference room. As he did, both Waas and Jensen Vreman stood and turned to the doorway.

  “Thank you, Josiah. That will be all.” Waas waited until he left before turning her attention to Nelms. “Secretary Nelms, Ambassador Izaguirre, welcome. Please be seated.”

  The two men settled on one side of the table, opposite Waas and Vreman. Nelms leaned back, folding his hands on the tabletop. As he did, he studied not only the two sitting across from him but the rest of the room. A slight smile touched one corner of his mouth as the door slid open once again and Captain Anderson stepped inside. The Marine didn’t speak. Instead, she took up a position to one side of the door. As she did, the message was clear. She, not to mention the five armored Marines in the outer room, were there to keep anything from happening to either him or Izaguirre. From the way both Waas and Vreman looked at her and swallowed hard, they knew it as well.

  Good.

  “Thank you for meeting with us,” Nelms began. “This shouldn’t take too long. I believe we can all agree the evidence concerning Alexander Watchman and his machinations with the Callusians is irrefutable. More than that, we can agree not only Fuercon has suffered as a result of their betrayal but so have our allies.”

  “As we have told the ambassador, the Administrative Bureau is extremely troubled by the evidence. We had no idea Watchman was working with our common enemy,” Waas said.

  Nelms inclined his head slightly. Let them make of it what they would. As for him, he believed the woman no more than he did any of the other explanations the government sent in response to President Harper’s communiques. But he would play the game, at least for a little while.

  “I believe Ambassador Izaguirre informed you last week of our government’s demands. President Harper sent me to do whatever is necessary to move these negotiations along and bring them to a satisfactory conclusion, one we can all live with.”

  It wasn’t a threat, at least not directly, but his meaning was clear judging from the way Vreman started before getting himself under control.

  “I assure you, Secretary Nelms, we have been doing all we can to fulfill those demands,” the Chairman said.

  “Excellent.” He allowed himself a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Then you have your prisoners and all data your intelligence corps has gathered ready to hand over.”

  “I’m afraid you are operating under a misunderstanding, Mr. Secretary,” Vreman said.

  “Really?” Nelms tilted his head to one side, his expression thoughtful. “Are you denying the fact you arrested five members of the Bureau less than a month ago, not to mention others in the government, and charged them with crimes stemming from their association with Alexander Watchman?” He glanced at his datapad and then looked up once again. “I believe those arrested who were removed from the Bureau are Admiral Horace Boniface, Dominic Delespino, Charles Logaine and Sarah Lamar. Also arrested several days later was Katrina Jacoby, among others.”

  For a long moment, no one spoke. Nelms wasn’t sure the Midlothians breathed or their hearts beat. Instead, he watched as the blood drained from their faces. Then they shook off their surprise over the fact he knew what had happened within the presumed sanctity of the government chambers.

  “You seem to know a great deal, Mr. Nelms,” Vreman said, his voice as cold as ice.

  “It pays to know the situation before you step into the arena, Mr. Vreman.” Without looking in her direction, he signaled Adamson to stand ready. If the Midlothians tried anything, it would be in the next few moments.

  “We have made several arrests, Mr. Secretary.” Waas shot a warning look at Vreman before continuing. “However, our intelligence officers are still in the process of questioning them and following up on any and all information they’ve given us. No one wants to act precipitously on unconfirmed information.”

  “I assumed no less.” Nelms leaned back, giving his best impression of someone relaxed and unconcerned. “When can we tell Admiral Tremayne to expect to have the prisoners tran
sferred to her custody?”

  “Mr. Nelms, I assure you, we want to do everything we can to work with you and your government on this,” Vreman said. “However, we have our own laws we must follow, and we must determine exactly how deeply the conspiracy runs. Alexander Watchman betrayed more than just Fuercon when he entered into his agreement with the Callusians. As we told Ambassador Izaguirre, it will be up to our courts to determine the exact procedure necessary to turn any of the prisoners over to your government.”

  “I see.” Nelms glanced at Izaguirre and nodded once. The ambassador opened the old-fashioned portfolio he carried. The man made a show of looking inside before withdrawing a sheaf of papers. Nelms accepted them and glanced at them before returning his gaze to the Midlothians. “As suggested, Ambassador Izaguirre presented our case to the Federal Constitution Court. It heard our plea and has granted us custody of the prisoners as well as any evidence seized.” He slid a copy of the order across the table and waited as Vreman reached for it.

  “However, we want to be reasonable about this. We knew Midlothian interests must be protected. However, do not take our reasonableness for weakness. You have three days to turn the prisoners over to us. I expect you to open the evidence up to our investigators starting immediately.

  “I suggest you not try to drag this process out. It would be a serious mistake for you to refuse to turn the prisoners over. As Ambassador Izaguirre informed you earlier, there will serious repercussions to your actions—or inactions. President Harper has issued orders for all Fuerconese and allied dependents to be evacuated to our ships. Captain Middleton is coordinating those efforts with Admiral Tremayne.” Nelms stood. “If you refuse to allow us access to all the evidence your seized so far, we will begin withdrawing our diplomatic corps. You have one hour to comply.