by Sam Schal
“Were they alone?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer. If they had been there with other members of the battalion, she’d have to look into those Marines as well and, damn it, she didn’t have time for it.
“Negative, ma’am. They were sharing a table with Major Thomas O’Brien.”
O’Brien!
Ashlyn’s head snapped up and her eyes flashed. Well that certainly threw a whole new wrench in the works.
“Major.” Lt. Liu’s voice interrupted her thoughts and she glanced at the display to her right. “Major Shaw, I am hereby authorizing the MPs to take Captain Hotchner and Captain Rhydderch into custody. They are to be escorted to my office where they can explain to me not only why they disobeyed orders but why they were consorting with someone currently under investigation.”
“Thank you, Lt. Liu.” She nodded to the MPs who moved to stand on either side of the two men. “Before you leave, there is one thing you need to understand. You are both relieved of your commands in FirstDiv and you will be transferred out just as soon as I can push the paperwork through. While you have your discussion with Lt. Liu, your offices will be cleaned out. Your personal belongings will be forwarded to you, just as soon as they have been checked.” She paused and wished she dared to more. “Sergeant Morgan, get these two sorry excuses for Marines out of my office.”
“With pleasure, Major.”
“Liu,” Ash began as Hotchner and Rhydderch were escorted out.
“Don’t worry, Major. I have every intention of seeing what connection they have with O’Brien,” the JAG officer assured her. “I will let you know what comes out of my interview with them. But rest assured, I will support your decision to remove them from the battalion.” With that, he ended the transmission.
For a moment, Ash stared at the blank comm screen. Then she turned her attention to her executive officer.
“Luce, let’s not take any more chances. Run a check on all officers and senior non-coms. If there is more than a passing connection with either Sorkowski or O’Brien, I want to know about it. This is one instance where I will let myself be paranoid. If we’re about to drop into battle, I need to be able to trust the officers under my command.”
“Understood.”
“Now, it’s going to make for a long night and a very early morning, but we need to find replacements for those two bastards and we need to finish filling out the HQ staff.” She leaned back, her expression thoughtful. “Luce, you and MJ get together first and set up training sessions for Alpha and Beta Companies for tomorrow. We’ll do a full battalion exercise day after tomorrow. Hopefully by then we will have new COs for Gamma and Delta Companies.”
Hopefully. If not, she was going to have to tell General Okafor that, for the first time, the Devil Dogs wouldn’t be able to answer the call to serve and that was something she intended to avoid, if at all possible.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“MA’AM, WOULD YOU MIND telling me why we’ve come to the Aisling?” Talbot asked.
Ashlyn looked up from the report she’d been studying and set her datapad to one side. Then she glanced around the shuttle’s main cabin. She and Talbot had the first rows of seats to themselves. The next two rows had been left empty. But beyond that sat half a dozen men and women. They all wore naval uniforms. While their presence wasn’t unusual, it did make it more difficult to discuss not only the reasons for the trip but her concerns about it.
“There are several members of the Marine contingent onboard who have requested transfer to the battalion, Master Guns. I figured it was easier for me to come to them to conduct the interviews and discuss their service records with their CO than to have them brought to us.”
For a moment, she wondered if Talbot would ask something else. He didn’t. Instead, he nodded, his eyes flicking to the rear of the shuttle. Good. He’d understood why she was being a bit circumspect. Not that she’d expect anything else from him.
She wished there had been time to fully brief him, as well as Lucinda Ortega who was holding things down for her dirtside, before they had to catch the shuttle. But there hadn’t been. She had awakened to find orders from General Okafor. In no uncertain terms, she’d been instructed to make her way to the Aisling in its parking orbit. The public reason for her visit was to meet with those Marines who had requested transfer to the Devil Dogs. Since she had already planned to interview one of them as a replacement for Delta Company’s CO, she’d not objected.
Then she’d learned the other reason for her visit. Not only was she to evaluate the Marine complement onboard but she was to determine if the ship would meet her needs as battalion CO for the Devil Dogs’ upcoming mission. Okafor had made it very clear that only ships, and their personnel, that Ashlyn was comfortable with would be going on the mission.
That had surprised her. It hadn’t taken long after her return from Tarsus to realize that FleetCom was being very careful where she was concerned. The medical personnel she’d seen had almost all been associated with the Devil Dogs. General Okafor had made sure those first few weeks that Ash only dealt with Devil Dogs and former Devil Dogs. Ashlyn had a feeling part of it was to make sure she understood that they meant everything they were saying about knowing she and the others had been set up. Another part had to have been an attempt to reassure her that the Corps was now and always had been behind her. But this latest was almost too much. Then she’d gotten a quick message from her mother. Elizabeth had said it best. Fleet was simply acting as transport for this mission. Ash, as well as the task force commander, had to be confident that every ship, and every man and woman onboard, would do whatever was necessary for the successful completion of the mission.
The shuttle seemed to give a shudder and a moment later a soft chime announced the completion of the docking sequence. The red light over the hatch turned green, confirming pressurization of the compartment beyond. As the hatch slid open almost silently, Ashlyn climbed to her feet, Talbot at her side. It was time, ready or not.
Squaring her shoulders, Ashlyn stepped into the aisle. She took a moment to make sure there wasn’t a seam out of place or a medal hanging askew on her chest. Usually, she did all she could to do away with protocol that didn’t serve any purpose but to add unnecessary time to an assignment. She hadn’t had a choice this time. Okafor had requested she wear mess dress for her inspection. Hopefully, it would be enough to head off any trouble that might be waiting for her.
A few moments later, she stepped off the shuttle and into the docking bay of the Aisling. As she did, she glanced around. The sounds of a crew working on a nearby shuttle reached her. They appeared to be the only ones present, barring the BBOD and two Marine privates standing just behind the BBOD. Something about that seemed wrong but Ash didn’t dwell on it. This wasn’t her ship – yet – and she wasn’t Navy. The two branches might be related and they certainly relied upon one another, but there was no disputing that they did things differently.
But she was a Marine and the sight of the two privates did bother her. It wasn’t that they were privates, at least not completely. What bothered her was the fact they were the only Marines present. It was a breach of protocol to have privates there without an officer to meet someone of her rank. There could be a reasonable explanation. She simply couldn’t think what it might be, not under present circumstances at least.
Then she noticed the state of their uniforms. Eyes narrowed, she took a moment to study them. Neither seemed to be paying that much attention to what was going on. That apparent lack of interest in doing their duties added to her unease. She knew first-hand that this kind of sentry duty was boring. After all, the chances of any real danger occurring while in a parking orbit over Fuercon was slim to none. But that didn’t mean it was impossible. The attack on the capital just a few months before had proven that. However, these two weren’t under her command, not yet at any rate. All she could do was take note of their demeanor and mention it to their CO later. It would be up to him to take action – or not.
Putting her concern on the mental back burner, Ash took three steps forward and then stopped, the toes of her boots almost touching the red line marking the official change from docking area to shipboard.
“Permission to come aboard?”
The very young looking second lieutenant stepped forward, his left hand resting on the butt of the gun at his hip and his right hand extended. “Orders and ID.”
Without a word, Ashlyn handed over the datachip containing the information he requested. Then she watched as he slid it into his datapad. He studied the readout for a moment before motioning the Marine guards forward to take his place as he moved away.
Not liking what was happening, Ashlyn glanced over her shoulder to where Talbot stood one step behind and to her right. It reassured her to see how the man watched the two Marines. Anyone who didn’t know him well wouldn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. But she recognized his expression. He was on guard and ready to react to a threat from any quarter.
As they waited for the BBOD to return, Ash reached up and gently rubbed her right cheek with the first two fingers of that hand. Such an innocent seeming gesture and yet to a Devil Dog it was anything but that. It was their signal to be on the alert. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Talbot nod slightly. Good. Whatever might happen, they’d be prepared.
“Welcome aboard, Major Shaw,” the BBOD finally said a few moments later as he handed back the datachip she’d given him.
“Thank you, lieutenant.”
She waited, wondering if he would explain the delay in approving her request to come aboard. When he didn’t, she frowned. One part of her wanted to press the issue, especially when she looked around the docking bay again and that feeling something was wrong continued to grow.
God, she wished she could put her finger on what was bothering her. Even though the Aisling was not one of the newest cruisers in the Fleet, it was only a few years old and had not seen any major fighting. Yet there was an air of age about the docking bay that didn’t fit what she knew of the ship. Add that to the fact not a single senior officer, Navy or Marine, was present to greet her as well as the delay in allowing her to come onboard and it all added up to the very real possibility that something was very wrong on the ship.
“If you’ll wait for a moment, Major, I’ll arrange for an escort—“
Before the lieutenant could finish his statement, Talbot stepped forward, his expression closed, his dark eyes flashing. He made it very obvious he was looking at the young man’s name tape and that the BBOD’s failure to identify himself was a breach of protocol. “Lieutenant Soroyan, Major Shaw here by the authority of FleetCom and General Okafor. Her orders give her free access to every portion of this ship and its personnel. I assure you, no escort is needed nor required.” Now he held up a hand when the young man was foolish enough to try to interrupt him. “In fact, I am sure I speak for the Major when I note that there have already been several major breaches of protocol. First, there is no senior officer here to greet her. Second, you failed to identify yourself to a senior officer. Third, you have yet to explain why she was not immediately cleared to board. I can go on but I won’t. What I will do is suggest you not compound the problem any further.”
“Stand down, Master Guns.” Ash fought back her smile. “I’m sure the lieutenant simply misspoke.”
The younger man nodded, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard, his face almost as red as his hair.
“M-may I be of any help to the Major?” Soroyan asked, his voice cracking.
“You can tell me where I might be able to find Captain Loren Nichols.”
Soroyan quickly checked his datapad before answering. “He is off-duty now, Major. You’ll probably be able to find him either in his quarters or in the Marine’s gym or mess.”
“Very good, lieutenant.” She looked past him to where the two Marines stood in poses that would never come close to regulation stances. “Master Guns, before we move on, would you care to enlighten these two privates about what it means to be a member of the Fuerconese Marine Corps?”
“With pleasure, Major.” Talbot stepped forward.
Five minutes later, the lift doors closed and Ashlyn grinned up at Talbot. She had forgotten just how effective his dressing downs could be. Watching him as he pointed out every thread showing, every hair out of place and every crease that shouldn’t be there had been more than entertaining. More telling, however, had been the reaction of the two privates. It was clear they suddenly felt like they had been tossed back into boot camp and were facing the world’s most intimidating DI. Which, if she were honest, was pretty close to the truth.
“Remind me to never be on the receiving end of one of your dressing downs, Master Guns,” she said as she programmed the lift for Marine territory.
“Ma’am, I’d be a fool to try to dress you down. I don’t want to lose my stripes.”
Even though he grinned, he didn’t fool Ash. She knew he’d waste no time in giving her a dressing down shed never forget if he thought it would save her life or prevent her from doing something she’d regret later. That was why he was a member of her staff and why she trusted him at her back no matter what the situation.
“I’ll remind you of that, Loco, when the time comes.” She reached out and paused the lift. “I think it’s fair to say there is something wrong onboard. It may simply be a breakdown in discipline. It may be more. So keep your eyes open. If you see or hear anything you think I need to know about, tell me. Use my call sign if you feel there is any danger and I’ll do the same.”
“Understood, ma’am.”
She reached out and started the lift once again. As she did, she wished she had brought at least one other member of her team with her. While she didn’t really believe there was the possibility of anything serious happening while they were onboard, she didn’t want to run any risks.
As they stepped out of the lift and started down the corridor a short time later, Ash frowned once again. From the moment she’d come aboard, her sense of wrongness had grown. Now, deep within the bowels of the ship, she knew she had ample reason to worry. The air smelled stale, as if the scrubbers weren’t working properly and hadn’t in some time. A thin coat of dust covered every surface. The ship had the look and feel of something in disrepair, a once proud lady now brought down by an uncaring and heavy hand. Like it or not, Ash was going to have to pass on her concerns.
What bothered her the most was the possibility that she’d discovered yet another ship’s CO who wasn’t doing his duty. At least this time she had no reason to assume he was actively working against Fuercon’s interests. More importantly, at least as far as she was concerned, she wasn’t in his chain of command. So there was little chance of anything untoward happening.
“Major, did you send instructions not to have anyone present to greet us when we arrived?” Talbot asked as they moved through the nearly deserted corridors.
“Negative, Master Guns.”
And that was something that bothered her almost as much as the condition of the ship. The captain should have been informed of her impending arrival the moment the shuttle pilot radioed for clearance to land. Under normal circumstances, the moment the pilot contacted the ship, the senior officer on duty should have contacted the captain so he could be there to greet her. It seemed obvious that notification hadn’t been made and, as far as Ash knew, it could mean only one thing. The crew was setting their captain up and that worried her. It worried her a great deal. How had he managed to lose the loyalty and respect of those under his command?
There was another explanation, however. It was entirely possible that notification had been made and the captain chose to ignore it. If that happened to be the case, the captain had committed a serious breach of protocol. Again, Ash had no answer for the why he might have done so. What she did have was a feeling in the pit of her stomach that it was going to become her job to get to the bottom of the problem and deal with it.
Now, as she stepp
ed into the Marines’ gym, Ash looked around and nodded slightly. The corners of her mouth lifted as she spotted the tall, slim young man working out against a sparring droid. His blonde hair, so light it was almost white, was close cropped. Sweat glistened on his bare arms and legs, his black PT gear was soaked with it. Naked fury marred Nichols’ features. Hands and feet flew as he pressed his attack against the droid.
Before the junior officer nearest her could announce her presence, Ash shook her head and touched a finger to her lips. Then she stripped off her jacket and reached up to unbuttoned her shirt before toeing off her boots. A moment later, dressed only in uniform pants and tank, she collected a mouth-guard from the equipment shelf before stepping onto the mat.
Without warning, Ash’s hand flashed forward. Her fingers closed about Nichols’ wrist before the young man could renew his attack on the droid. Nichols spun, leading with a savage right hook. Grinning, Ash expertly blocked it with her forearm. With that, the fight was on.
* * *
His fist connected with the ‘droid’s jaw with a satisfying crunch and his lip curled back. Mentally, he visualized smashing his fist against the captain’s jaw instead of the ‘droid’s. Disbelief still warred with hot fury as memory of the morning’s encounter returned. If he didn’t find a way off this bucket of bolts soon he wouldn’t be responsible for what happened.
Ducking a round house, Loren Nichols fought for calm. He knew all too well that if he didn’t find his center soon, he would do something foolish. Not foolish enough to land him in the brig – or worse – but enough to give the captain yet another reason to come down on him. Not that the bastard needed a reason. He had proven much too willing to come down hard on Nichols, or any of the other Marines, without good reason on too many occasions already.
Damn him!
Anger once more spiking, Nichols ducked under another round house. He jammed his fist into what would be the ‘droid’s right kidney if it were human. Then he followed up with a sharp upper cut, leaving his guard open for just one brief moment. His breath exploded as an artificial fist slammed into his stomach. Sucking in air, he moved away from the ‘droid’s follow up before it could land another blow.