“Good,” Sarah said. “I’m en route back to the hab. I’m getting tired of people not following procedures and get that gun checked Staff Sergeant. You. Personally.”
“Aye, aye ma’am,” Berry said.
The other Marines were probably sweating it now. If the Lieutenant was going to punish the Staff Sergeant in public, things must be bad. Of course, they wouldn’t have missed the fact that the Staff Sergeant was standing post instead of the squad leader.
Per standard operating procedures she purged her InnerBuddy and suit records since nothing had happened, officially, and she had nothing official to log. She hoped that Corporal Gill’s team would do the same and purge their records when they returned. That had been the primary reason she had mentioned following procedures more closely. They should know. If the buffers were not purged, then they would be uploaded and all that data took up too much space on the servers. It was procedure. Besides, if hackers ever gained access to the recordings there would be no telling how much damage they could do.
The suit had been much warmer and comfortable than the temporary habitat and Sarah regretted taking it off. Once she made it back to her cubby hole quarters, her suit on a cart, she sent a message to Staff Sergeant Berry telling her to report to her when she turned in her weapons and took care of her gear. That would be logged, and just to be sure she sent a blind carbon copy of the message to Major Hansen. She also noted that gun eight was behaving erratically, and she had ordered the Staff Sergeant to investigate it more closely.
Satisfied she had covered her trail, she sat back. Shift change was in less than two hours and she would wait at least a half hour, which is when the squad should return. Hopefully, Staff Sergeant Berry would not be with them. She would talk with the off going shift and learn that Berry had stayed behind to look at gun eight, maybe wait another half hour, which should give Berry sufficient time. With the terrain, weather and conditions Sarah expected it to take Berry at least a half hour to an hour to get to the extraction point. Hopefully the on-call squad would not be suspicious and tolerate having gun eight down if they knew the Staff Sergeant was personally taking care of it.
Eighteen hundred rolled around and Sarah checked to see that third squad had departed a half hour ago so they should be on site and changing out with second squad. Berry should be en route to gun eight to turn it off and begin her trek.
Catching up on reports was nerve wracking as Sarah watched the time grind toward eighteen thirty.
Her alert chimed, and she canceled it, deciding to finish the report when her InnerBuddy notified her Major Hansen was trying to contact her.
She opened the link.
“Is Staff Sergeant Berry back?” the Major asked, his tone of voice setting off warning sirens in Sarah's head.
“The squad would have just returned sir,” Sarah said, trying to keep the nervousness from her voice. “I told her to report to me when she had her gear turned in. I would then give her some admin task, make sure she was unarmed and notify you.”
“Good thinking,” the Major said, sounding distracted. “I would rather not wait that long. Go get her and bring her to me.”
“Yes sir,” Sarah said, the sinking feeling in her stomach, wondering how she could stall. There weren’t any viable options as the Major signed off and Sarah got to her feet. Even the light gravity of Europa was trying to speed her up as she walked down the corridor, but she had to go through the motions.
She made it to the Staff Sergeant’s quarters and knocked, her roommate Staff Sergeant Rios answered.
“She’s not back yet, ma’am,” Rios said. “Why don’t you comm her?”
Sarah shook her head,
“I just needed to stretch my legs,” Sarah said. Rios nodded but Sarah saw the suspicion in the Staff Sergeant’s eyes.
“Is everything okay, Lieutenant?” Rios asked.
“Everything is fine,” Sarah said, knowing she couldn’t convince Rios.
“Of course, ma’am,” the Staff Sergeant said staring at Sarah.
Sarah nodded and turned away.
“It’s not true, ma’am,” Rios said as Sarah began to leave. Sarah stopped and looked back at the Staff Sergeant.
“What’s not?” Sarah asked.
“Staff Sergeant Berry is absolutely loyal to the people of the Jupiter Alliance, ma’am,” Rios said. “She would never betray her Marines or those we are sworn to protect.”
“Why do you say that?” Sarah asked. What was Rios thinking?
The Staff Sergeant shrugged.
“Just thought you should know, ma’am,” the Staff Sergeant said as the door slid shut.
Sarah nodded to the closed door as she headed to the squad bay. Corporal Gill met her on the way to showers.
“Is everything okay ma’am?” Gill asked. She was a short red head, her muscled body deceptively soft looking. She did not look like a hardened Marine while wearing nothing more than a towel.
“I don’t know,” Sarah said, trying to pretend she didn’t know. There could be security cameras in the area recording. “I just wanted to talk to Staff Sergeant Berry.”
Corporal Gill nodded.
“The Staff Sergeant said she wanted to check on gun eight when we changed shift,” Gill said. “The Staff Sergeant said she could handle it ma’am.”
Sarah nodded and turned away with a quick thank you. She sent a message to the Major.
‘SSG Berry is working on one of the auto-guns that is malfunctioning,’ Sarah sent in the message. ‘She will report in to me when she returns and I will notify you."
Seconds later a link request came in from Major Hansen and Sarah answered it.
“Yes sir?” Sarah asked, wanting to swear. It appeared he wasn’t busy enough to ignore non-priority messages from his platoon commanders.
“Did you speak with her?” the Major said.
“No sir,” Sarah said. “I spoke with Corporal Gill, the next senior Marine from that post. When I did my rounds earlier the Staff Sergeant reported the gun might be damaged, and she wanted to investigate.”
“Call her now,” the Major said. “Get her on the line and order her back now.”
“Yes sir,” Sarah said. She couldn’t stall any longer. Hopefully, Berry was long gone by now.
“I will wait on the link,” Hansen said.
Logging into the habitat network she initiated a transmission link to Staff Sergeant Berry, it wasn’t supposed to be done under most conditions but with her CO telling her to she should be okay. There was no response, which relieved Sarah only a little.
“The Staff Sergeant is not responding?” Major Hansen stated, more than asked.
“She might be busy sir,” Sarah said.
“I’m scrambling the guard react platoon,” Major Hansen said.
“Why don’t I have a pair of Marines from the observation post go get her?" Sarah asked.
The Major didn’t answer, he just closed the link.
Shit, Sarah thought as she headed back to her room to gear up. She sent an alert to the rest of her platoon as well to gear up and get ready to go out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Combat Extraction
The surface of Europa was white with specks of rusty rocks. In about six hours the sun would reveal the surface in clear, crisp detail with razor sharp shadows and Sonya stared at the line of sunlight creeping across the surface. The stealth shuttle and the four stealth fighters followed the sun down.
“Their overhead cover is severely lacking,” Harris said watching the holo map and displays.
“The Jupes claim this is a rescue mission, not a combat mission,” Sonya said.
“Don’t you think they would be more interested in providing better space cover to conceal the massacre of civilians, Captain?” Harris asked.
“Commander,” Fry said. “I expect they want to minimize the number and type of people that might see it. Public news is not saying anything about the surface rescue anymore. If they maintain extensive space cover
, though that will draw attention, and I suspect the Jupe crews might see something the regime doesn’t want them to see.”
“Do you think they forgot about the surface rescue already?” Harris asked.
“I get the impression the Jupe public has a short attention span,” Fry said. “They seem easily distracted and their memory sucks, Captain.”
Sonya glanced over at Fry.
“Sorry Commander,” Fry said. “I was just reading some studies about how people that spend a lot of time on Social Networks or watching TV are like that. From everything I’ve seen, the people of the Jupiter Alliance in the Jupiter region spend way too much time on social networks. It seems to be encouraged. I guess it keeps them talking about pointless things.”
Looking back toward the screen Sonya couldn’t argue. If the news was any sign, the people of the Jupiter system had already forgotten the rescue effort was still underway as they discussed retaliation for the massacre and hatred of the Caliphate.
“I’m tracking a departure from the perimeter outpost,” Fry said. “A single figure, approaching one of the automated guns. Looks like shift change.”
Sonya nodded, also watching the screen.
“Single figure has done something with the gun and is now heading toward the extraction point,” Fry said. “Alaris One is touching down and deploying a perimeter.”
“No apparent alerts from Jupe space assets,” Harris reported. “All craft are maintaining course and speed.”
“Extraction subject is an estimated one hour from extraction,” Fry said. “Surface conditions remain unchanged. Radiation levels are normal.”
A JA cruiser was sliding around the planet. Time seemed to slow down as she watched the cruiser, far enough out to respond if needed but otherwise not over the extraction point or rescue base. Perhaps Fry was right in that the JA authorities didn’t want any fleet assets to see what was happening on the surface so they weren’t sitting on top of it.
“How are you doing tapping into the Marine barracks?” Sonya asked Goodwin after several minutes.
“So far so good, Captain,” Goodwin replied. “They have decent encryption but we should have it compromised shortly.”
“Let me know when you are in,” Sonya said, nodding at his acknowledgment. What was she missing? Everyone was at battle stations and so far, everything was going according to plan, but the Cincinnatus was playing with fire by getting this close to an active Jupiter Alliance operation that they might try to keep quiet about. It wasn’t easy to relax as she watched the staff sergeant’s icon crawl across the map. It shouldn’t be much longer.
“I’m in Captain,” Goodwin reported. “Oh.”
“What?” Sonya asked.
“The barracks are going into lockdown,” Goodwin reported. “But Marines are being told to stand down.”
“I have a large force exiting the Guard barracks,” Fry said. “Platoon strength.”
“Notify Alaris One,” Sonya said. “He might be about to get company. Do they have any kind of transport?”
“Aye ma’am,” Fry said. “A couple construction buggies.”
Sonya glanced at the specs for the buggies. Eight troops per buggy and they weren’t designed to be fast, just reliable and steady. Only slightly better than walking.
“Well Captain,” Fry said. “Looks like the gig is up. The Guard hostiles are making a beeline to that gun the extraction subject was fixing.”
“Did she trip an alarm?” Sonya asked.
“Unknown,” Goodwin reported. “But the Jupes are responding. I have a station wide arrest order for a Staff Sergeant Essie Berry, Captain.”
“Acknowledged,” Sonya said with a glance toward Fry.
“Alaris One,” Fry said. “Be advised the jig is up. Guard forces are scrambling and the subject is likely to have pursuit.”
Sonya was watching the screens and didn’t hear the Major’s reply.
“Copy that Alaris One,” Fry said. “We have your back and the high ground is still under our control.”
“Course is altering for Tango Six,” Harris said, indicating the JA cruiser was changing course. “New course looks like it might be preparing to do an over flight of the area.”
Sonya leaned back and took a deep breath, and now everything goes wrong. A glance at the different plots and speeds didn’t give her a lot of comfort.
“When Alaris One lifts off, fire two missiles on the cruiser,” Sonya said. “If they are a threat to this ship or the recovery operation unload everything we have on them and plot an escape route to deep space.”
“Aye,” Harris said, taking over ship to ship operations while Fry was managing ground operations.
Sonya watched the icon for Berry approaching the rally point and enter the perimeter.
A minute later Fry turned to Sonya.
“Captain, the extraction subject is loaded and Alaris One is lifting off,” Fry said. “Request permission for the escort strafe the Guard platoon?”
Sonya saw the mass grave in her mind’s eye.
“I don’t want a strafe,” Sonya said. “I want you to eradicate those bastards. Guard units only. I don’t want Marine casualties.”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” Fry said and Sonya listened as he directed the drones to wipe out the pursuing guardsmen.
“Launching missiles on Tango Six,” Harris reported. “We are now visible. Raising shields.”
“Intercept Alaris One and get us out of here,” Sonya said. Every ship in the Jupiter subsystem was probably getting an alert, but there was nothing close enough and Jupiter’s radiation belt would interfere with most pin point attacks. Even longer range missiles might have a problem. The Cincinnatus had four possible escape routes plotted around identified Jupiter Alliance ships, bases and defenses. Sonya was confident that the Cincinnatus could escape and then sneak back in. The Jupes might be more on their guard but Jupiter’s radiation belts, debris and gravity signature made detection difficult, if not impossible. Even Conglomerate technology would have a hard time.
Maybe it would work out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Extraction
The general was standing at attention, staring at the view of Jupiter behind him while locked in the military form of attention. James hated it. He wanted to see the eyes. He wanted to see movement. The military position of attention was designed for liars and the untrustworthy because it concealed body language.
“At ease General,” James said staring at the buffoon.
“Tell me again what happened?” James said. The General remained at a semblance of attention even though he put his hands behind his back where James couldn’t see them and spread his feet apart. It would be nice if the military could be replaced by robots. Robots followed orders and didn’t screw up this badly.
“A traitor Marine escaped and fled. The Marine was rescued by a stealth shuttle and the arresting officers, in pursuit, were wiped out,” General Carver said.
“Here? On Europa?” James asked.
“Yes sir,” the General said. “Near the Harristown rescue assembly area.”
“Do you think the rescuers saw anything?” James asked.
“I don’t know sir,” the General replied, his damned eyes still locked on the screen behind James. Maybe it was time to replace Carver with someone who wasn’t so damned annoying.
“And you think it was who?” James asked.
“The Namo’s sir,” Carver said. “It had to be. Nobody else has that tech or speed. They moved too fast for us to intercept. We think it was a heavy frigate based on the gravity signature, speed and performance characteristics.”
“And how did it get so close?” James asked.
“We are looking into that now sir,” Carver said.
James stared at the General as the silence became more intense.
“So just let me get this straight,” James said. “A little Namo frigate waltzes into Europa’s orbit, finds a Marine that you wanted to arrest and pulls him out before you can
kill him for sedition?”
“Her, sir,” Carver said. “The Marine was a her.”
“A her?” James said looking at Carver hard. “You mean a woman bested your forces and waltzed out with the Namo’s?”
Carver opened and closed his mouth, doubtless thinking of something to say and discarding it.
“And the Namo got away?” James asked.
“Yes sir,” Carver said.
James stared at Carver, trying to figure out what he should do with the General. Military men were cowards. The General had his eyes locked on the wall behind him. For such a high-ranking officer, he wasn’t brave enough to look James in the eyes.
Unfortunately, Carver knew too much and despite the occasional lapses in competence, he got the job done.
“Well,” James said. “Find out who was in charge of fleet and providing orbital cover for the operation. See if they were doing their job and act accordingly.”
“Yes sir,” Carver said.
“Dismissed,” James said and watched the General try to avoid running out of the room.
It was bad that the Namo’s could slide in and out of the Jupiter system undetected like that. Hopefully that problem would be resolved. They couldn’t hurt any of the core Jupiter cities buried under the ice of Europa and when their home was conquered or destroyed, they would be hunted down and dealt with.
Shrugging James turned back to his displays. Hopefully the Namo situation would sort itself out soon. One pathetic Marine was insignificant and the ship that had been destroyed? It was replaceable, but the loss of face was more important to James than the loss of lives.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Athena
“We have no records of those people,” Perro said looking at Mark.
“We have nothing on facial recognition either,” Admiral Wyatt said. “Those terrorists did not come through Athena. After that invasion fleet do you still believe them?”
Mark shook his head and leaned back.
“We captured some Jupe prisoners from their pointless attack,” Mark said. “Damned few and we are still debriefing them, but I thought you should know about the accusations.”
New Empires: Conglomerate Series Book 3 Page 11