by Sam Schall
“Gunny, get him on his feet.” Pawlak’s nodded to where Coreal continued to try to hide behind his desk.
Without a word, Talbot did as the major ordered. Ash’s smile lost some of its bitterness to see how he yanked Coreal upright. The commandant would be bruised from the gunny’s man-handling, especially after Talbot slammed him against the desk and kicked his feet apart before roughly searching him. Once he had, he accepted a pair of security cuffs from Ashlyn and bound Coreal’s wrists behind him.
“Name?” Pawlak barked.
Ash fought back a very inappropriate giggle as Pawlak looked at Coreal, his expression impassive. If possible, Coreal turned even paler. His mouth worked but nothing came out. Even with her helmet on, she could almost smell his fear. God, was this what she’d looked like when Haritos had brought her here? No, she knew better. She’d relied on her training not to let him see just how scared she’d been
“Coreal. Dante Coreal, commandant of this penal colony,” he stammered out.
Before he could say anything else, the sounds of several people approaching reached them. A moment later, Lucinda Ortega entered with a dark skinned corporal Ashlyn didn’t recognize. Before they could brace to attention, Pawlak waved for them to stand easy. Then he asked for Ortega’s report.
“The captain was right, sir. Someone did attempt to scrub the data systems. Fortunately, we’d already locked them down.”
“Do you know who?”
“The command sequence came from this office, sir.” Even though she didn’t name Coreal, Ash knew he’d been the one. From the way Pawlak and Ortega looked at him, they did as well.
“Very good, Captain. Pass the word to the Magellan that FleetCom’s suspicions do appear to be valid and ask them to send the JAG officers down to take possession of the data and to begin the investigation.”
“What?” Coreal tried to twist out of Talbot’s grasp only to have the Gunny slam him against the wall.
“Easy, Gunny. We need him conscious for a few minutes longer.” Pawlak’s voice was soft, almost amused. “Coreal, you have a great deal to answer for. But, before we get to all that, let me introduce myself. I am Major Paul Pawlak, commander of the Devil Dogs. You may have heard of us. After all, Captain Ashlyn Shaw is one of our own.”
“No!”
The gasp was torn from Coreal and he renewed his struggles against Talbot. The gunnery sergeant glanced at the major and, when Pawlak nodded, he moved quickly. Ash watched in approval as the gunny executed a perfect leg sweep and took Coreal down. The commandant cried out in pain as he fell head first to the floor. Before he could begin to even try to get to his feet, Talbot had twisted a hand in the man’s thick blond hair. He dragged the now sobbing Coreal to his knees. Then Talbot bent and told him to kneel there unless he wanted his legs broken – or worse.
“I take it from your reaction that you know exactly who and what we are,” Pawlak continued coldly. “So let me make something perfectly clear. I don’t give a damn if you live out this day. Whether you do or not is up to you. Give us the information we want and you’ll live. Refuse and I’ll turn you over to your prisoners. I’m quite sure they’d enjoy some quality time with you.”
Coreal blanched at his words.
“W-what do you want?”
“It’s really very simple. Where are our people?” Pawlak spoke softly but the way his hand rested on the pistol at his hip spoke volumes about what would happen if Coreal failed to answer.
“I can’t!” he protested. Sweat ran down his face and soaked the front of his shirt. “They are here under lawful order. I can’t turn them over to you.”
“Captain?” Pawlak glanced at Ortega and Ashlyn watched as her friend checked her datapad.
“FleetCom’s orders to him to have the others prepared for immediate transport home were received and viewed a week ago, sir. Included with the orders were copies of their pardons.”
“Do you have a death wish?”
Ashlyn smiled again. She recognized that musing tone in her major’s voice. It might sound mild but it meant he was about to become Coreal’s worst nightmare.
“H-how was I to know the orders were valid?” Coreal looked around, his eyes wild. “The capital had been attacked. For all I knew, it was a ruse by the Callusians. After all, it was made pretty clear in their court martial that Shaw and the others were working with the enemy.”
Fury spiked and Ash took a step forward. How dare he! Then, before she could close the distance between her and Coreal, Pawlak stepped between them. The look on his face spoke volumes. He understood what she was feeling. More than that, unless she missed her guess, he was about to let her get a little of her own back.
“Perhaps you’d like to explain to Captain Shaw herself about why her people weren’t here, ready for transfer when we arrived. While you’re at it, you can explain why one of your guards opened fire on her and her team.”
“No-no-no-no.” Coreal’s protest turned to a moan.
Without a word, Ashe reached up and removed her helmet. As she handed it to Ortega, she stepped up to stand next to Pawlak. With a nod to Talbot, she waited as he once more forced Coreal’s head up.
“Where are my people?”
Such a simple question and yet so much rested on how he answered it. Not just his life but hers as well as those poor souls who’d been sent here with her. There was even more hinging on his answer. For the last two years, she’d been so focused on just surviving and finding a way to free her people that she hadn’t let herself think beyond that one goal. But now she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
No, thinking about the why of it.
Why had so many people taken part in the farce that had led not only to their court martial but also to their conviction and sentencing to here, the worst prison in the system? It was as though there’d been a conspiracy against them. There had to have been. Otherwise, the case never would have made it to trial. She had to believe that.
But who and why?
And could Coreal shed any light on what happened and who might have been involved?
“Look at me, Commandant.” She put as much derision as she could into that one word and silently rejoiced to see him flinch in fear. “The Marines are an extremely loyal group of men and women. One of our firmest beliefs is that we don’t leave anyone behind. It is even more so with the Devil Dogs. So don’t think for a moment that any of us will buy your excuses that you couldn’t believe the orders to release our people were valid. We came with one mission – to retrieve our people and take them home. You are preventing that by first ordering Nilsson to open fire on my landing party and then by refusing to admit us into the compound. You’ve seen just how effective those efforts were.
“But I digress. The major here isn’t going to let me do anything foolish, at least not without provocation. However, each and every member of the Devil Dogs will back me when I report that it was with extreme regret that I had to forcibly defend myself when you tried to attack me. I really did try not to hurt you but you were desperate. You knew that an investigation into what has been going on here would lead to charges being filed and the very real probability that you’d be sentenced here and that, you knew, would be a death sentence. Unfortunate as it was, you simply wouldn’t surrender and you left me no choice. I had to kill you before you managed to injure or kill one of my team.”
“And my report will back hers up.” Pawlak pulled his sidearm and held it before him, carefully examining it. “As will the rest of the entry team. Right, Gunny?”
“Oorah, sir,” Talbot replied. “We tried to talk him down but he wouldn’t listen. It was almost as if we were fighting one of the suiciders the Callusions have sent against us.”
“So what’s it going to be?” Pawlak asked. “Are you going to give yourself at least a chance to survive?”
Coreal couldn’t start talking fast enough.
* * *
Ashlyn had never been as angry or heartsick as she was just then. Coreal was
even more of a bastard that she’d thought. Of the six who’d been sent to Tarsus with her, only three were still at the main compound. The others had been moved after her return to Fuercon. Two had been sent to the mines, a sure death sentence. But worse was hearing how the Corporal Navarro, the only other female sentenced with her, had been sent to The Residence. Ash’s blood had run cold to hear that. She’d never been sent there but she’d heard the whispered horror stories. The men and women sent there had one duty – to serve their masters in whatever manner they were told.
Fortunately for everyone involved, Ash had turned her weapons over to Talbot, telling him to hang onto them for her. Even more fortunate, she’d done so before they’d learned about Navarro. That was the only thing that kept her from killing Coreal right then. As if realizing how she felt, Pawlak had ordered Tank and Hound to take the man to the courtyard and secure him next to Haritos. Let the prisoners see that the two were no longer in control. Even the JAG officer who had arrived shortly after Pawlak’s first report to the Magellan had agreed it was the best course of action until they knew more.
Hand shaking, Ash activated her comm and signaled the Magellan. Pawlak wanted her to be the one to report what they had discovered so far to Captain Carlisle. When Pawlak first gave her the assignment, she couldn’t help wondering if he was setting her up. Then she realized he was doing the exact opposite. By forcing her to act as liaison between groundside and the ship, he was keeping her busy coordinating information. That meant she didn’t have the opportunity to do anything foolish. As always, the Devil Dogs were taking care of their own, whether she wanted them to or not.
“How bad is it?” Carlisle asked simply, confirming her suspicions that he’d been closely monitoring their status.
“Bad enough, sir.” She leaned back and ran a hand over her face. “We’ve got the compound on lock-down while we try to bring comms and defenses back up. From what Dumont has said, it looks like the comms system went down due to basic neglect. The same with the defense probes. The JAG is looking at the records now and I have a feeling he’ll find Coreal and others have been skimming funds. Nothing else, short of them scavenging and selling parts, would explain why they are missing or off-line.”
“Your people?”
“Three are here in the compound. They have been located and are being checked by the medics right now. From what I’m not being told, I have to assume they are the worse for wear.” She paused and breathed deeply, reminding herself that she couldn’t let her emotions rule. Not yet at any rate.
“The other three were moved from the compound after my return to Fuercon. Major Pawlak has sent teams to retrieve them.”
“Captain Shaw,” Carlisle interrupted, his expression troubled. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“That there is a very real possibility that none of the three will be found alive, sir.” She closed her eyes, fighting against the anger and pain that filled her. “Sir, two were sent to the mines. That’s pretty much a death sentence. Prisoners sent there rarely return. They are worked until they drop or until they are killed by either equipment failures or by other prisoners. At least Coreal was quick to give us the location of mines.
“The third, Corporal Navarro, was sent to The Residence. If possible, that’s worse than the mines. Those sent to The Residence have one job – to do whatever, and I do mean whatever, their masters say. Rape isn’t nearly the worst thing that can happen there.”
“All right. Keep me informed.” Carlisle paused and Ash could see he was thinking hard. “Tell the JAG that I want updates every two hours.”
“Understood, sir.”
“What about Coreal and the other guards?”
“Most of the guards have been secured away from the main prison population. The JAG wants to review their records and interview them. But, until he can, he doesn’t want them where they can talk with one another or try to escape. Coreal, Haritos and several others I know firsthand to be the worst of the lot are secured in the outer courtyard. They’ll be moved to cells later but, for a few hours at least, Major Pawlak believes it will be beneficial for the inmates here to see that those who tormented them the most are no longer in control. Fortunately, the JAG agrees.”
“Understood, Captain. Please tell Major Pawlak that I’ll send word to FleetCom reporting that you have secured the facility. Are you requesting reinforcements to staff the prison until this mess is cleared up?”
“That’s an affirmative, sir.” At least he understood that they couldn’t just turn the prison back over to the guards without making sure there wasn’t someone even worse than Coreal among them.
“I’ll send personnel down to assist you and your team ASAP. As soon as the medics clear it, have your people transported to the ship. I’ll have the medbay waiting for them.
“Thank you, sir.” At least she could be relieved about that.
“I’ll let you get back to work. Next report in an hour. Carlisle clear.”
Ash sat back for a moment after the transmission ended, doing her best to get her emotions under control. When she left the office, she needed to be able to do so without making straight for Coreal to kill him. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t scare him some. He deserved that and so much more. Besides, if it helped speed up the JAG’s investigation and answered some of her own questions, she didn’t much care about the consequences.
A slight smile, bitter and twisted, touched her lips. No, she wouldn’t go to Coreal. She’d have him brought to her, just as she and so many other prisoners had been brought to him over the years. She had no doubts that by now he realized this was not a dream from which he’d awaken. Good. She’d show him exactly what a nightmare his life was about to become.
”Lt. Liu, would it help the investigation if Coreal answered some of your questions?” she asked the JAG over a secure channel.
“It would, Captain, assuming his attorneys couldn’t later claim we coerced anything from him.”
“I promise no one will lay a hand on him. Let me run my idea by the major and I’ll get back to you.” She switched to Pawlak’s channel. “Sir, permission to have Coreal brought up to the office for questioning.”
“What do you have in mind?”
At least he hadn’t automatically told her no.
“Major, one of Coreal’s habits was to bring a prisoner to his office for discipline. I learned very quickly to dread those trips. Several ended in visits to the infirmary and more should have. If he finds out that I’ve ordered him brought up here for a discussion, he’s going to do whatever he can to save himself. And, before you ask, I’ve already promised the JAG that I’ll not lay a finger on him. It will all be in his mind.”
“Do it,” he said so quickly she knew something else had happened.
Swallowing hard, she forced herself to speak. “Major?”
“Team One has made it to the mine. They’re securing it as we speak. Ash, it’s as bad as you warned. As soon as they identify the prisoners, both living and dead, they’ll send the roster to us.”
“And The Residence?”
“We need the access code to get in. The facility has been locked down and Dumont doesn’t want to risk explosives unless he has to.”
Anger flared as did fear. The longer it took the team to get inside, the longer Coreal’s people had to deal with those prisoners sent there. Ashlyn had no doubt many, if not all, would be dead before the Marines finally made it inside.
“I promise you’ll have that information in just a few minutes.”
Even if she had to break her word not to lay hands on Coreal.
“Gunny,” she said as she moved into the outer office where he and several other Devil Dogs were searching the physical records. “We have a problem. Those at The Residence have locked down the facility and the team can’t make entry.”
“We haven’t found anything here that would help, Cap.” His eyes flashed with an anger that matched her own. Good. That meant he wouldn’t hesitate to go along with her p
lan.
“I think it’s time to have a chat with Coreal.” Now she held up a hand, forestalling the protest she saw forming. “I’ve already discussed it with the JAG and with Major Pawlak. I’ll make you the same promise I made them. I won’t lay a finger of Coreal. But we are going to scare the hell out of him.”
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard since we landed on this damned rock, ma’am.” His grin left no doubts that he’d do whatever was necessary to find and free the last of their people.
“I want you to find the two biggest, meanest looking members of the team you can to go down to the courtyard. As they approach the prisoners, have them taking bets on what they think I’ll do if I manage to get my hands on either Coreal or Haritos. Then they are to release Coreal from the posts. Once they have, secure his wrists behind him and shackle his ankles. He is to be told that he’s being brought to his office – and have them correct themselves to say it is now my office – for a discussion. Emphasis on discussion. Then hood him and bring him here. They are to continue speculating on what I want and what I’m going to do to him.”
“In other words, they are to put the fear of God in him.” The gunny grinned and nodded in approval. “Ma’am, remind me never to make you mad at me.”
“Mad’s one thing, Gunny. He’s pushed me far beyond that.” She shook her head. She couldn’t let herself think about just how far Coreal had gone. “I’ll contact Lt. Liu and have him here by the time Coreal arrives.”
“One question, ma’am?”
“What?”
“Permission to be present?”
“Of course.” If nothing else, he’d make sure she didn’t do anything foolish. “Once Coreal is here, I want you to be your biggest, meanest self. I promise I won’t touch the son-of-a-bitch, much as I want to, but he doesn’t have to know it.
“Understood, ma’am. I’ll make sure he’s here within five minutes.”
Ashlyn nodded and returned to the inner office. It wasn’t exactly what she wanted but she’d make the most of it.
Five minutes later, the stage was set. Ashlyn leaned back in Coreal’s chair, her booted feet resting carelessly on the desk, scattering his data chips. At her side, looking as intimidating as possible stood Talbot. Looking up at him, Ashlyn grinned. He’d be scary enough glaring at the chained and hooded commandant if dressed in civvies. In his battle armor, weapons close to hand, he’d terrify even the bravest of men. Of course, Coreal wasn’t brave. The question was whether he was foolish enough to try to bluff his way with them?