by Sam Schal
“It is,” Elizabeth assured her. “The cars are waiting and the media hasn’t found out what’s happening.”
“Excellent.”
She studied the others for a moment and smiled slightly. There would be time later to brief the press. That would come after she’d had a chance to debrief her officers and report first to SecDef and then to the President. But today was for something else. Today she would make sure everyone had come through the mission without any lasting scars, mental or physical.
To her relief, the mission had gone much better than she’d hoped. All the care they had taken to make sure no one leaked their plans had paid off. No one, not the media and not the enemy, realized what Taskforce 119 was about to do. With all that could have gone wrong, it was amazing nothing had. She could have been meeting the caskets of her people instead of being here to welcome them home. She would take that any day over the alternative.
Besides, I wouldn’t take this away from Liz and Abe if my life depended on it.
She knew how hard it had been on them to watch Ashlyn shipping out so soon after finally getting her home from Tarsus. If there had been anyone else she could have sent on the mission, she would have. But Ash was the best and, now that they were at war again, they needed the best.
A few minutes later, a muted chiming signaled the approach of an incoming shuttle. Everyone gathered watched expectantly as the pilot expertly maneuvered the craft into the bay and to a gentle landing. Instantly, the docking bay crew rushed forward to assist with the shutdown.
As they waited, Elizabeth slid her hand into her husband’s. Abe pulled her close, his arms going gently around her. He held her against him in a protective embrace.
Together they watched as the shuttle hatch slid open. A few minutes later, Admiral Collins emerged from the shuttle. He walked down the ramp. Then he turned and watched as the rest of his party appeared.
“Thank God,” Elizabeth said softly as her daughter appeared.
“I told you she’d make it home.” Okafor grinned and then watched as the remaining passengers disembarked.”
* * *
As the shuttle came to a gentle landing, the four Marines comprising the security complement quickly assumed their stations. Two took up places by the forward hatch while the other two moved to the rear of the shuttle. At the same time, the pilot initiated systems shutdown. As he did, the co-pilot confirmed the departure of the second shuttle for the clinic. Admiral Collins nodded in response and climbed to his feet.
From where she sat, Ashlyn breathed deeply, stomach churning and heart pounding. The fear she had held at bay since first boarding the shuttle burst forth with terrifying strength. Collins may have looked the other way when she violated the Accords but that didn’t mean everyone else would. She’d already seen how the military courts could be manipulated and she knew she still had enemies in the Corps. When she stepped off the shuttle would she be met by her family or by MPs there to arrest her?
Swallowing hard, she forced herself to remain calm. If the MPs were there, she would deal with. Not that she’d have much choice in the matter. She’d known when she assaulted Kasun what the risks were. But, if it meant finding something to help end the war just one day sooner, it was worth it, even if it meant a return to the Tarsus military prison.
And, from what little they had been told in the Admiral’s briefings, it had been worth it. Much of the data still had to be deciphered. But, what they had deciphered pointed to another party working with the Callusians. If true, that would explain why the Tarrant hadn’t been able to initially identify the ships attacking it. It would also explain the differences, slight though they might be, in the Callusian tactics this time. Now, if they could only find something to prove – or disprove – it all, it would have been worth it.
No, if true, she wanted to know who the secret partner was. Until then, Fuercon was in danger.
“Are you ready, Ash?” Collins asked as she forced herself to her feet.
“Honestly?” she asked with a smile as shaky as her knees felt. He nodded, an understanding gleam in his eyes. “I’m terrified and you know why.”
“Ash.” He stepped closer, pitching his voice for her ears only. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. I promise.”
“I hope you’re right,” she said just as softly, not fully convinced.
Collins gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before moving toward the forward hatch.
As she waited for permission to disembark, Ash breathed deeply, striving for calm. Talbot stood just behind her. When she glanced back at him, he smiled and leaned close to whisper something in her ear. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as he reminded her once again that this was her time, her chance to thumb her nose at all those who had betrayed her. After all, they must be choking on fear to know that she’d made it back in time for their trials. Lips twitching in an attempt not to smile, she softly thanked him. Then, reaching for her slim briefcase, she squared her shoulders and prepared to meet her fate.
Suddenly, the hatch slid open with a muted swoosh. With one last glance around the cabin, Collins stepped out. Swallowing hard, reminding herself she was next to disembark, Ashlyn moved toward the hatch, Talbot close behind.
This was it. Was she going to get to go home or would she find herself on her way back to Tarsus?
As she stepped into the waiting area, a wave of emotions crashed over her and she stopped short. Tears burned her eyes relief filled her. No MPs waited to arrest her. No representative from JAG was there to question her. Instead of stony faces of men and women who wanted her head, her parents stood there, waiting for her to join them. With them were General Okafor and a member of her staff. Maybe Collins had been right. Maybe she was being given a pass this time.
She stepped forward, winking at her parents as she moved to stand in front of Okafor. As she braced to attention, she knew she was a very lucky woman. She was home and soon she would be reunited with her son. Before long the war would intrude and she’d have to ship out again. But, for now, she would enjoy what she had.
“General, FirstDiv reporting in,” she said and snapped a crisp salute. “It is my honor to report the successful completion of our mission,” she added with a slight smile.
“Welcome home, Colonel.” Okafor extended her hand in greeting.
“Thank you, Ma’am. It’s good to be here.”
“Ashlyn, you did good.” Okafor’s approval meant a great deal. “Your orders now are to go home and spend some time with your son. No working and no worrying about the Devil Dogs. I’ve already issued orders that they have leave today and tomorrow. You can have your final debrief after that.”
“Thank you, Ma’am.”
“Don’t thank me yet. As CO, you aren’t getting as much time off. I want to see you in my office tomorrow for your after action report.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Ashlyn said, once again worried that her actions were going to come back to haunt her. “When do you want to meet?”
“0900. We won’t be able to keep the lid on the media much longer than that I’m afraid,” Okafor replied seriously. “As soon as they know the taskforce has returned, they are going to be clamoring for interviews.”
“That’s above my pay-grade, Ma’am.”
“Only if I say so, Colonel,” Okafor countered with a grin.
“Whatever you say, Ma’am.” Ashlyn braced to attention once more.
“Until tomorrow, Colonel,” Okafor said. Then she turned and left the waiting area, her Marine escort following close behind.
As they left, Ashlyn turned to face her parents. The strain of her being off on a mission showed on their faces. She didn’t remember seeing it before when she would return home. But then, those times had been before her stint on Tarsus. Those two years, and the events leading up to them, had taken a toll on all of them. Hopefully, with the court martial of Sorkowski, O’Brien and the others, they could start getting past that horrible time.
At least she hoped so.
Before Ash could take more than one hesitant step forward, her mother all but flew across the room in her direction. Ashlyn stood rooted in place and opened her arms. A moment later, she found herself folded into her mother’s welcoming embrace as tears flowed unchecked down her cheeks.
Then her father was there. They stood in a tight knot, arms around each other, doing their best to reassure themselves it wasn’t a dream. Ashlyn buried her face against her father’s chest, breathing deeply the same evergreen scent she remembered from childhood. That, almost as much as her mother’s tears of joy, finally convinced her she wasn’t going to be talking to the MPs anytime soon.
“Mama, Daddy,” she whispered in joy as she freed a hand to scrub away her tears. “I’m home.”
“You are, baby. You really are,” Abe said as he grinned down at her.
“And we’re going to coddle you and spoil you for the next few days,” her mother added, eyes shining brightly with tears as yet unshed.
“I just want to go home, Mama. That’s all.”
“And that’s exactly where we’re headed,” Elizabeth assured her. “Transportation’s waiting.”
“Thank you.” She smiled and said a quick prayer of thanks. Another mission successfully completed and another homecoming. “Is Jake there?”
“Of course, dearest,” Elizabeth assured her, sliding an arm about her waist. “He wanted to come but your father and I thought it would be better if he waited there for us.”
“Besides, he said he had something he needed to finish before you got home,” her father added.
Grinning, looking forward to being able to hold her son again, Ashlyn let her parents lead her away. As she did, she knew there was nothing better than coming home.
* * *
“Are you sure?” President Derek Harper restlessly paced the length of his office, his expression troubled.
“Everything is preliminary yet, Mr. President, but I am confident the computer techs have interpreted the data correctly,” Rico Santiago said. He stood before the President’s desk, closely tracking the man’s movements as he paced.
“Helen?”
“You know my thoughts on the matter, sir. I’ve said from the moment the capital was attacked that there was more to what happened than we thought. If the techs are right about the data, this proves it.”
Harper returned to his desk. Instead of sitting, he leaned against it. For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he stared at something none of the others could see. Then he nodded, his mind apparently made up.
“All right. Let’s get all the people on this that we need. I want that data deciphered ASAP. In the meantime, Rico, find out what you can about our so-called friends. Start with their embassy staff. History has taught us nothing if not that you intelligence folks like to use diplomatic postings as cover for intelligence work.”
“Right away, sir.”
“Helen, I know you had planned on sending the Devil Dogs out after they had some time to recover from the mission. However, until we have finished going over the data, I want them held here. Those bastards have already attacked us once. If they try again, I want our best Marines here to hold them off.”
“Yes, sir.”
“As soon as you have more information for us, Rico, we’ll put together a plan of attack. I’ll pull in the rest of the command staff when we do. Until then, keep this between the three of us.”
“Mr. President, what about Colonel Shaw and Admiral Collins? I have no doubt they share our concerns and have possibly shared them with their staffs.” Okafor’s concern was clear.
“I will have a chat with the admiral tomorrow. We’re playing a round of golf. I’ll leave it to you to make sure Shaw understands my instructions about the matter.” Now he took his place behind the desk. For the first time since they had entered the office, some of his worry appeared to have eased. “Now get out of here before someone starts asking why I’m meeting with the two of you.”
Okafor and Santiago saluted and left the office. As they did, Harper leaned back and sighed. If their suspicions were correct, things were going to get a lot worse before they got better.
* * *
I don’t think I can stand much more of this, Ashlyn said to herself and slipped outside.
As she stepped into the dark stillness of the night, she sighed in relief. This day, wonderful as it had been, had also been difficult to endure. She understood her family was glad she was home. Hell, she was glad to be home. But all the togetherness had been too much. She needed time to decompress after the mission, to accept all she had done and why she had done it.
At least she hadn’t lost the ability to slip her parents’ loving but all too often unwanted supervision. A faint smile touched her lips at the memory of other times she had snuck out to meet friends. All her life her parents had protected her, had her guarded simply because of who they were. Wanting a “normal” life, she had perfected ways to sneak away from the house so she could enjoy some adolescent foolishness without some overzealous adult trying to stop her.
What did surprise her, however, was the fact she had managed to slip away from her son. Since her return from Tarsus, Jake had made it his job to act as her escort and body guard whenever she was home. So how had she managed to get away from him tonight? Not that it really mattered. All that did was that she was finally alone.
Breathing deeply, Ashlyn closed her eyes and simply let her other senses register her surroundings. How wonderful it was to feel the soft breeze against her cheeks, to smell the slightly salty fragrance of the sea just beyond the ridge to the north. She could stand there forever, simply treasuring these simple pleasures.
A soft footstep behind her broke her reverie. She tensed, prepared to react to an attack should it come. Then she forced herself to relax, reminding herself she was home now and not on the front line. She was safe. She needed to remember that.
Turning, Ashlyn smiled to see her mother moving almost silently in her direction. As she did, she chuckled softly. She hadn’t been as good at slipping out as she thought. Not that it mattered. All that did in that moment was the love and concern reflected in her mother’s eyes and the love she felt blossoming almost painfully in her chest.
“Are you all right?” Elizabeth asked softly as she reached for her daughter’s hands.
“I am. I just needed a few moments.”
“I know it’s been a little overwhelming, darling. I’m sorry. It’s just that we’re so glad you’re home.”
“And I’m glad to be here, Mama,” Ash assured her. “But you’re right. It is overwhelming. As much as I love all of you and am glad to be home, I need time to decompress after the mission. I hope you understand.”
“Of course I do, Ash. We all do.”
Ash smiled slightly and let her mother pull her close. As Elizabeth’s arms wrapped around her, she did her best to push aside the worry that had nagged at her since finding the data chips. Fuercon had been betrayed by an ally. She knew it. She could feel it in her bones. But was there enough on those chips to convince FleetCom, much less the politicians who set policy?
More importantly, would they understand the data before it was too late?
“Come on, Mama. Isn’t it about time for dessert?”
She linked her arm through her mother’s and led her inside. She wasn’t going to find the answers to her questions tonight. So she might as well enjoy being home with her family. There would be plenty of time later to figure out what the next step should be.
At least she hoped there would be.
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AUTHOR’S NOTE
VENGEANCE FROM ASHES, the first book in this series, was a book that was a long time in the works. The germs of the story were planted years ago, when I found a battered copy of Heinlein’s Starship Troopers in a closet at my grandmother’s. Another foray into that same closet, which looked like it was where my grandmother stored all t
he books and records my father and his five siblings had left at the family homestead, yielded more books by Heinlein, early copies of If and more. I read the stories, dreamed of spaceships and adventures and I was hooked.
Vengeance turned into a book I had to write. It had several other iterations. But the basic premise has always been the same – duty and honor and family. Family doesn’t necessarily begin and end with your blood relations. It can also be those men and women who are your brothers-at-arms.
Duty from Ashes builds upon those themes. There is, deep inside most of us, a strength to do what needs to be done. It isn’t always for ourselves. More often than not, it is for others. That strength can lead to self-sacrifice or to glory, often when glory isn’t sought
Duty is the second of a three book story arc. There will probably be more books in this universe, possibly centering on Lt. Joss Donnelly. But the first three books will center on Ashlyn and her fight to do her duty as well as her need to get vengeance – and justice -- for the wrongs done to her people.
IF YOU ENJOYED DUTY FROM ASHES, CHECK OUT THESE TITLES BY THE AUTHOR:
VENGEANCE FROM ASHES
(Book 1 of Honor and Duty)
First, they took away her command. Then they took away her freedom. But they couldn't take away her duty and honor. Now they want her back.
Captain Ashlyn Shaw has survived two years in a brutal military prison. Now those who betrayed her are offering the chance for freedom. All she has to do is trust them not to betray her and her people again. If she can do that, and if she can survive the war that looms on the horizon, she can reclaim her life and get the vengeance she's dreamed of for so long.
But only if she can forget the betrayal and do her duty.
Check out these titles written as Amanda S. Green:
NOCTURNAL ORIGINS
(Nocturnal Lives, Book 1)
Some things can never be forgotten, no matter how hard you try.