“Yes, Sir, and me?”
“What of it?”
“I’m under arrest, Sir.”
“I may not be able to make executive decisions to continue this mission, but I’m still the ranking officer for the time being. I have already withdrawn all complaints against you. You’re free to return to your squad, and I have to add, excellent work out there, Corporal.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Oh, you aren’t free and clear yet. Whoever takes over will have Sanson’s staff tossing your name around like fresh meat for the grinder. Remember that, and don’t go looking for trouble, you hear? It could be a few weeks until we move out, so get some rest and get back to regular operations, is that clear?”
“Yes, Sir,” he replied with an enthusiastic smile.
Chapter 5
Three weeks later.
Lee wiped sweat from his brow and leant over the wall of the fort to look out into the vast emptiness beyond. He was wearing nothing more than a shirt and shorts from a PT session.
“Doesn’t get much easier, does it?”
Bosque stepped up beside him. She was dressed the same and gulping for air just as he was. They were both well tanned now. Lee could tell his body was acclimatising to the brutal conditions, but he still found it tough.
“I don’t think this place was ever meant for humanity, you know?” he replied jovially.
“Still alive and breathing, aren’t we? Parts of the inner planets were once like this, long ago.”
“You think people dealt with them any better back then, or avoided them altogether?”
“I think they learnt to cope. We’re too inquisitive a people to just leave an area alone. We have to explore it, study it, and try to make something of it. We’re never happy with what we’ve got.”
“That’s deep.”
“Don’t tell me you joined the Corps for the pay?” she laughed.
“I don’t even know why I joined. It seemed like the right thing to do. Like I was born for it, you know?”
“I do. I’ve been fighting to get a posting like this for years. My folks said it would never happen. Every drill sergeant said it was impossible. Nobody gave me a chance, and then the Colonel came along.”
“He saved me, too, but I fear without a good leader there’s little he can do here. I hate to talk ill of the dead, but Sanson was useless. His death is the best thing that could have happened to us.”
“Well that depends on who replaces him, doesn’t it?”
Just as she said it, a shuttle rocketed into view, slowing as it came in to land in the middle of their drill square. It was the first shuttle they’d seen since holding up in the remote town, and they knew that was significant.
“This has to be it, the General’s replacement. We could be back in the game,” said Bosque enthusiastically as they watched the shuttle touch down.
A wave of dust kicked up and coated them, but they didn’t even flinch. They’d become accustomed to it. Colonel Rossman rushed out from a doorway to greet whoever had just arrived. The ramp went down, and an officer stepped out with two Marines by his side. There was no pomp and ceremony as he strode up to the saluting Rossman, shook his hand, and followed him inside.
“This has been it,” said Lee.
Sergeant Stone stepped out from the very same doorway a few moments later and gestured for the two of them to follow him back inside.
They both hesitated as they were in sweaty PT gear, and yet Stone angrily gestured for them to get down there. They quickly responded and rushed to him.
“General Clifton has requested your presence.”
“Why us?” Bosque asked.
“Because King conducted the unauthorised rescue operation of troops you were in command of.”
Inside they found the newly arrived officer beside Rossman. They both shot to attention on seeing the rank on his shoulders.
“This is General Clifton. He’s taking over command here with immediate effect,” declared the Colonel.
“At ease,” he replied calmly. He looked relaxed and business-like all at the same time. He was almost twenty years younger than the man he’d replaced.
“I may have arrived a few moments ago, but I know you. I know all of you. I have studied each of your files and every after-action report that has come out of this terrible situation for several weeks now. I’ve also known all of you my entire career. The same people over and over, the loyal and dedicated ones.” He glanced at Rossman, “The troublemakers and the climbers.”
He looked at King and Bosque. “Don’t think because I’m new here you’re starting with a clean slate, because you aren’t. I need to know I have Marines I can trust, but I also need Marines who trust in me. You disobeyed Sanson’s orders, but you should never have been put in that situation. If a Marine cannot have faith in those leading them to not leave them behind, how can they ask for their allegiance and respect?”
Lee was astonished.
“The General is extending an olive branch, Corporal,” said Rossman.
“Yes…yes, Sir.” Lee was still in shock.
“Following orders is not a choice, but if I’m making a bad call, I expect someone to tell me. I can only hope we don’t have to face that situation often. Sergeant Bosque, it is my understanding that without Corporal King’s intervention, you and half a platoon of Marines would now be dead.”
“Two Marines, Sir, the rest were local troops, Rhepoys.”
“And these Rhepoys, would you trust them with your life, like you would the Corporal here?”
“The Rhepoys of the 15th, Sir? Yes, without a doubt. We have already had to put our lives in their hands, and they’ve proven their loyalty and their worth.”
“But Sanson was dismissive of these local troops?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“And why do you think that is?”
“Sir?”
“General Sanson believed the Rhepoys were untrustworthy because of a violent mutiny, and yet an experienced officer on his staff was willing to continue serving with these native troops? What does that tell you, Corporal?” he asked Lee.
“That the General didn’t heed the advice of field officers under his command, Sir.”
“That’s right, but you did. You, who has all the reasons in the world to hate the people of this world. They killed a man who was effectively your brother?”
“I won’t judge someone on the actions of others who are like them, Sir.”
“Good, and I will ask you to bear that in mind. I said there’s no clean slate here, and that is true, but as far as I’m concerned, you didn’t need one. Don’t judge me by the actions of my predecessor. General Sanson was once a fine officer and always a gentleman, but under his guidance the operations here have crumbled. We now face an uphill battle, more so than you realise.”
“Sir?” Rossman asked.
Clifton sighed as he presented the facts to them, clearly as frustrated by the situation as they all were. He brought up a map on the table before them.
“The mutinous actions of isolated native troops are without a doubt a major cause for concern, but opposition to our presence is nothing new here. Despite those mutineers, we need local troops to be able to maintain order here. General Sanson has done some potentially irreversible damage. Word of the disarming of the garrison here has spread to other towns, and as you can imagine, it’s not gone down well. These volunteers were promised work and pay. There are three towns between here and Delphi, all with local garrisons. Sanson was right to keep them away from Delphi, but they now present potentially big problems for this operation.”
“How bad is it, Sir?”
“Colonel, the nearest is Zagra where we have reports that part of the 9th Native Infantry have mutinied. We cannot advance on Delphi without dealing with this scenario.”
“Sir, Delphi may already be lost.”
“Yes, and if it is, we definitely cannot risk facing the enemy on all sides. Captain Vega, I made attempts to recall
your troops, but so far we have had little response.”
“They felt betrayed, Sir.”
“Yes, and who could blame them? We need native troops, but it’s also down to all of us to establish those we can trust and rely upon. I can’t change what has been done so far, but I will say it has been handled poorly. Opportunities were not seized upon, and troops have been left dithering when there was work to be done. That cannot be undone, but we must go forward. We need to be decisive and to reclaim all the ground that has been lost in the past few weeks. On any other occasion I would want weeks, even months to get to know the troops now under my command, but that’s not a luxury we can afford. Any questions?”
There were none. They were all still surprised by the refreshingly decisive General Clifton after their frustrating experiences with his predecessor.
“Gear up, gentlemen, we depart for Zagra in one hour. It’s time for the dithering to stop. A decisive step forward, do you hear me?”
“Yes, Sir,” they replied quickly.
He waved casually for them to leave and go about their business. Lee was first out the door as he went to gather his equipment.
“You’re very lucky to have such an understanding officer filling Sanson’s shoes.” Rossman was close behind him.
“Sanson was an idiot. He should have retired years ago and left this work to someone capable of it,” replied Lee angrily.
Rossman grabbed his arm and pulled him around.
“Right or wrong, you can’t talk about your superiors like that. You’re walking a fine line out here. MPs could turn up any day and take you away if someone really pushed for it. Your freedom depends on your actions. That doesn’t just mean the way you fight, but the things you say and do as well, do you understand that?”
“I understand that we’ve wasted our time here, Sir.”
He pulled away, and Rossman looked worried.
“Don’t worry about the Corporal, Sir. We all know where his heart and his head are at. He has our backs.”
“Yes, but that’s not what worries me.”
“You picked up a real live one there,” said Vega as he joined them.
“You have no idea. But we need him, and I suspect he needs us just as much.”
“No room in this Corps for mavericks, is there? That’s what we’ve always been told,” replied Vega.
“Maybe in a cushy posting on the inner worlds, but it’s wild out here. If it weren’t for his ways we’d be down a lot of Marines. Hell, it’s possible none of us would have got out of Delphi. I don’t know what goes on in that head of his, but he isn’t like the rest of us.”
“Is it true you busted him out of prison?”
“You heard about that?”
“I’ve heard rumours, but I figured they were just that. An officer would be crazy to do that.”
“How long have you been here, Captain?”
“Just a couple of months.”
“Then maybe you’re starting to see things don’t work the same way out here. We need Marines like Corporal King. He’s the kind you put behind glass only to be broken in the case of war. I’m not sure he could ever have gotten on with this life back home, but out here, it’s like he was born for it. His cousin was, too. Both of them were fighters. Independent, not easily tamed, and made for this life.”
“We’re facing an uphill battle here, aren’t we?”
“Damn right, we are. We have few regulars, and fewer native troops everyday. Keep going on like this, and the whole world could be against us. I want to make sure that doesn’t happen. I know you want your command back, but will you serve the 15th until that time comes?”
“Not like I have a choice, is it?”
“No.”
“Then I am with you.”
“I don’t think any of us ever wanted this situation, Captain. I’ve lost good Marines since this began, too many. I want to see an end to it, and I will do everything in my power to make that happen. I don’t particularly care how people feel about that, do you get me?”
“I’m here to do my job, and whatever that is, I’ll do it.”
Rossman nodded in appreciation. After dealing with General Sanson, it was nice not having to fight an uphill battle with the officers he had to work with.
“Do you know anything about Clifton?”
“Not much, but what I see I already like. We need a hard driver at the wheel, and I think we just got that. Do you know the CO of the 9th?” He was thinking of the garrison they were heading for.
“Major Soto. Can’t say we’re friends, but he’s a capable officer.”
“Capable enough to hold against the mutineers?”
“He wouldn’t run, I can say that much.”
“Why do you say that?’
“Because he’s the kind of man who’d rather die some honourable death than be seen to run.”
“Sometimes running is the best thing a man can do. Dying doesn’t serve anyone.”
“Like I said, he’s not a friend of mine.”
“Then if we don’t get there in time, it’ll be a bloodbath. We can’t wait an hour.”
He rushed back to Clifton.
“What can I do for you, Colonel?”
“Sir, I believe time is not on our side. We may be too late reaching the 9th if we wait any longer.”
“You have good reason to believe this?”
“I do, Sir.”
Clifton didn’t need to hear anymore, taking the Colonel at his word.
“Form them up. We’re moving out, now. Anyone who isn’t ready will have to catch up.” He grabbed his rifle and followed them out.
Rossman was shocked for a moment. Surprised he didn’t have to explain himself, and that the General was willing to take him at his word.
“You wanted to move out, Colonel, so move,” he ordered.
“Yes, Sir,” he replied as they rushed out into the parade ground.
“We’re leaving now. Load up. Load up! Anyone not ready will have to catch up,” he yelled at Stone and the other NCOs waiting for him. The General stayed with the Colonel as he headed for their vehicles.
“Mind if I hitch a ride?” the General asked as they approached an Otter with Corporal King awaiting them.
“Be my guest, Sir.”
Lee shot to attention as they went right past and climbed into the vehicle, much to his surprise.
“Corporal, get us moving. We’re heading for Zagra, and we don’t have a moment to spare,” ordered Rossman as Lee gestured for his squad members to load up.
“Yes, Sir!”
He climbed into the driver’s seat of the Otter he’d so recently stolen from the depot. He could barely believe his luck. Bosque passed by the open door, heading for the next vehicle. She gave him an informal salute as Madan climbed in, sealing the door shut behind him. The hulking alien took a seat opposite the General, who had clearly never met one, but was fascinated by them.
“What are you waiting for, Corporal? Move, move, move!” General Clifton insisted.
Lee didn’t need to be told a second time. He put the power down and navigated his way out of the parking lot full of vehicles. It was chaos as troops scrambled to stow their gear and board the vehicles. Just a handful got clear as the rest slowly joined them in a disorganised train heading north.
“You were surprised I took your lead, Colonel.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“As a CO, I have to have faith in the officers in the field. They have experience and information that I do not. If I cannot trust the things they tell me, then they’re not fit for duty. So when you come to me with actionable information, I have to respect it.”
“Sir, as much as I can understand that, it has not been my experience thus far.”
“No, because you’ve been led by paper pushers. That’s all very well when you’re in some safe posting in the inner worlds, but not out here. I’ve never been to Rhamprox, but I’ve served in places much like it. Places you’ve probably never heard of, like I had
n’t until I was given a posting. Things were different out there. It’s wild, and you can’t always operate according to the way the Corps would expect of you. I understand that, and I learnt it with experience, and at the cost in lives. I’m not proud of that fact, but I can say I will not ask those under my command to do what I would not. I know I must trust their instinct and experience on the ground.”
“It’s refreshing to hear, Sir, but if I may?”
“Please, speak openly.”
“Sir, this is a recon combat unit. We’re going to be first into Zagra, a dangerous and unpredictable situation. Would you not be better off at a safe distance?”
“We have no comms and no intel to go by. Until we see it for ourselves, we have no idea how to run this operation. I’ll get in their first and see it for myself, then I can make some command decisions. Until that time, I’m just another Marine. I didn’t come here to take control of your battalion, Colonel. I don’t want to micromanage, but I do want to experience this for myself.”
Rossman didn’t look convinced.
“What do you say to that, Corporal King?”
“I say good on you, Sir. I’ve served officers who rarely leave their desks. Far as I am concerned, if you’re a Marine, you’re a fighting man and a brother in arms. If you’re willing to fight beside us, you’ll have the support of these men and women like I have seen no General have.”
“You see, Colonel? There’s more to this job than command decisions. That goes for your Rhepoys as well. If we expect them to take risks for us, they have to know we have their backs, too.”
Madan seemed to welcome the news with a small smile.
“What is your name?” asked the General.
“Naider Madan, Sir.”
“What do you say to me joining you?”
“It is the Dharan way. Every man and woman is a fighter. To fight beside our leader is a great honour.”
“And it is an honour to serve beside you, too. As I understand it, the Dharan people have been of great service to the Empire.”
The Last Empire Box Set Page 18