by C H Gideon
The door to the conference room suddenly slid open, revealing a sharply-dressed ensign in her black uniform. “The admiral will see you now,” she reported.
“Thank you,” he replied, standing from the bench and making his way into the conference room.
“Lieutenant Colonel Jenkins,” greeted the granite-hard voice of Vice Admiral Zhao, who gestured to the lone chair situated before the five-person board of inquiry’s bench, “be seated.”
“Thank you, Admiral,” Jenkins replied, tucking his dress beret beneath the crook of his arm as he approached the unprotected position at the center of the chamber. The curved bench, which featured two empty chairs, wrapped around Jenkins’ isolated chair, giving that spot the undeniable impression of being surrounded. He made for the chair and sat down, meeting the eyes of the review board one-by-one.
“I understand this is not your first time in front of a panel like this, Colonel,” Admiral Zhao said, while his flanking officers looked on in silence. One of those figures, a heavyset woman with light brown skin wearing a multi-colored sash over her green uniform, was unknown to Jenkins, but her uniform designated her a commander in the Terran Planetary Defense Coalition or TPDC. With each of the Terran colonies’ individual Planetary Defense Forces under local, wholly sovereign control and funded locally without Republic funds, the TPDC was less a governing body than a regulatory one. Generally regarded as the “fifth wheel” of the Terran Armed Forces, in part due to PDF usage generally centering on major planet-wide infrastructure projects, the Republic’s various PDFs nonetheless featured more active-duty servicemen than all other branches combined. The TPDC’s representative looked up from her data slate with practiced disdain the very instant Jenkins’ gaze fell on her.
The third member of the board was known to him, and frankly, Jenkins was surprised to see him there as Admiral Zhao gestured to the TPDC representative. “This is Major General Kylie Kavanaugh of the Terra Africana PDF, currently assigned to the Terran Planetary Defense Coalition. And this—” He turned to the man wearing dress blues. “—is Colonel Jonathan Villa of the Terran Marine Corps.”
“General.” Jenkins nodded to the TPDC rep before doing likewise to his longtime friend. “Colonel.”
“As you can doubtless deduce,” Admiral Zhao continued, “this board is conducting an informal, preliminary inquiry into the events on Shiva’s Wrath.” Jenkins noted that the admiral had not used the planet’s official designation of EO-5293, which seemed to bode well for the rest of the meeting’s tone and direction. “You are not required to answer any questions posed at this time,” the admiral continued, “nor will the product of this informal inquiry be admissible in any official proceedings from this point forward. Consider this to be a purely fact-finding debriefing, Colonel Jenkins, so that the rest of us can come up to speed on what went on down there.”
Major General Kavanaugh’s darting eyes flicked back and forth between her data slate, Jenkins, and Admiral Zhao while her expression remained an unreadable mask. Colonel Villa, on the other hand, was neither tense nor relaxed as his eyes barely lingered on Jenkins for more than a second while he studied the reports arrayed before him.
Jenkins nodded, reading his longtime friend’s body language: a battle was about to be waged, and everyone in the room was ready for it.
“I understand, Admiral,” Jenkins acknowledged.
Admiral Zhao leaned forward, and his fierce grey eyebrows gave him a decidedly predatory appearance as he intently met Jenkins’ gaze. “Under General Akinouye’s orders, you and your battalion were deployed to Shiva’s Wrath for what purpose?”
Jenkins had expected yes or no questions to begin with, but it was now clear that the admiral had no intention of making this easy for him. He drew a short breath, gathering his wits as he replied, “General Akinouye had received word of a unique opportunity on Shiva’s Wrath, which included safeguarding automated mining installations of critical importance to Terran security interests.”
“Was that all that the general told you about the mission to Shiva’s Wrath?” Zhao asked, his expression unreadable and his tone pleasant.
“No, Admiral.” Jenkins shook his head. “The mining installations were merely a cover for the real operation.”
At that, Major General Kavanaugh recoiled as she asked, “And what was this ‘real’ operation’s nature, Colonel Jenkins?”
“Using contacts within Durgan Industrial Enterprises,” Jenkins explained, “the Vorr reached out to the Terran Republic through unofficial channels in order to facilitate a clandestine meeting.”
“Under what security protocols was this meeting to be conducted?” Colonel Villa asked.
Jenkins shook his head. “General Akinouye never went into specifics on that front, Colonel, and given the nature of the assignment, I chose not to pursue the matter. Operational security was deemed paramount even during the planning stages, which meant that code clearance level was irrelevant to my people until after the deployment was completed.”
“You claim that operational security was paramount—” Villa leaned forward intently. “—but if that was the case, why was a reporter embedded in your unit?”
“You would have to ask the general about that, Colonel,” Jenkins said matter-of-factly. “But I can say that we cooperated with the directives given to us regarding Ms. Samuels’ presence and her authorization levels.”
Admiral Zhao sliced a brief, but pointed, look at Villa. “The matter of the reporter can be examined at some other time. This meeting is about the mission itself, not civilian observers.”
“Of course, Admiral,” Villa agreed, giving Jenkins a short-lived look that said, “That’s all the help I can give.”
Jenkins was not yet certain why his friend had played that particular card, but he was grateful that Villa had done so as Admiral Zhao continued, “You were aware prior to deployment that you were to meet a Vorr contingent, is that correct?”
“Yes, sir,” Jenkins agreed.
“What was your objective during that meeting?” Zhao pressed.
This was where the rubber met the road, and Jenkins knew that how he played the rest of this meeting would determine the fate of his unit and, potentially, his entire branch of the Terran Armed Forces.
Without hesitation, he replied, “Our objective was to rendezvous with the Vorr so that they could arrange a meeting between ourselves and a third, previously unknown alien species for the purpose of establishing a potential diplomatic dialogue. Before we touched down on Shiva’s Wrath, the Vorr were driven off by Jemmin forces, and we were unable to establish contact with any Vorr representatives. As a result, we were unable to make contact with the third species, and in fact exchanged fire with them on several occasions. I am prepared to describe those engagements in detail at this time since I assume some of those details were redacted in the preliminary report.”
Jonny Villa’s eyes went as round as saucers, and Major General Kavanaugh’s brow creased in surprise. But the admiral’s brow lowered thunderously, and his eyes narrowed into serpentine slits at hearing this unexpected turn.
Unexpected to everyone except Colonel Jenkins, that was.
Jenkins had spent every hour of every day since receiving General Akinouye’s initial briefing on the Shiva’s Wrath operation planning for this very moment. He knew it was a risk, but he also knew there was no other way through this particular firestorm. He was as ready as he would ever be, and it was time to see if he was equal to the task before him.
Admiral Zhao could sense a flanking maneuver when he saw one, and the fierce-looking officer leaned forward with his eyes pinning Jenkins to the chair. “All right, Colonel Jenkins,” he said, his pleasant demeanor replaced by one that was openly hostile and predatory, “let’s get right to it.”
“As I said, Admiral,” Jenkins reiterated six and a half hours later, “we detected an orbital exchange between the Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the lone Jemmin warship in orbit of Shiva’s Wrath. Using the last of our
orbit-capable platforms, we engaged the enemy from the surface.”
“Did Colonel Li, the Bonhoeffer’s CO, authorize you to deploy danger-close nuclear strikes against that Jemmin warship?” Zhao asked, re-phrasing the question for the third time.
“Negative, Admiral.” Jenkins shook his head firmly. “I had no direct contact with Colonel Li during the orbital engagement.”
“And yet,” Zhao pressed, “you authorized the fire of a ground-based, low-orbit-capable railgun platform called…” he trailed off, flipping through pages on his slate as he failed to summon the mech’s name.
“The mech in question is the Sam Kolt, Admiral,” Jenkins interjected, knowing that by doing so, he was antagonizing the nearly-unflappable officer. “It features the only low-orbit-capable direct-fire system in the battalion, and I did indeed authorize it to engage the Jemmin target in orbit at the same time I authorized the deployment of tactical nuclear devices against said target. As you can see—” He gestured to the data slates before the inquiry panel. “—my crew have provided sworn statements which corroborate this timeline.”
“The internal integrity of your report is not in dispute, Colonel,” Admiral Zhao said, slicing a hard look in Jenkins’ direction.
Jenkins feigned surprise, which quickly morphed into a veneer of equally false indignity. “If the admiral is suggesting—“
“I am not suggesting anything, Colonel,” Zhao interrupted tersely. “I am saying, unequivocally and without reservation, that this story of yours stinks worse than an Arh’Kel’s guts. Never in my…” he trailed off, his jugular veins bulging in tandem with a particularly gnarled-looking vein in his forehead. The admiral looked ready to explode with anger and forcibly sat back in his chair as he tried to relax.
Seven hours earlier, Jenkins would have never believed what he was seeing were possible. Admiral Zhao, one of the most fearsome living human warriors, was flustered and cracks were beginning to form in his impeccable veneer. But Jenkins didn’t put it past the man to be laying some sort of trap designed to lower his guard, and a quick look at the white-faced Villa at Zhao’s side seemed to support Jenkins’ assessment.
The admiral leaned forward, his glare furious but his voice once again controlled. “Never in my career have I seen such a painstakingly crafted and patently absurd narrative, Lieutenant Colonel Jenkins. You expect this board—” He gestured to the officers flanking him. “—to believe that you went to this planet to conduct a secret diplomatic mission, using an intermediary alien species to introduce your contingent to representatives from yet another, hitherto unknown alien species, only to run into a string of such historically bad luck that not only were you unable to contact said species, but you ended up fighting them to the death instead?” Zhao snorted scornfully. “Frankly, Colonel Jenkins, no one is that unlucky—and this board is not that stupid. No one in Terran Armed Forces history who has attained the rank of field officer, as you have somehow managed,” he sneered with unveiled contempt, his veneer of control peeling further back with each passing word, “and been entrusted with such an important mission has been so utterly incompetent that he misplayed a diplomatic situation to the unfathomable degree that he ended up killing the very envoy he was sent to meet. It stinks, Colonel!” he roared, standing from his chair and driving his knuckles into the bench-top. “And I intend to get to the bottom of it!”
“Admiral?” Major General Kavanaugh scowled, tearing Zhao’s gaze from Jenkins. “A word?”
“Of course,” Zhao replied, and Jonny Villa moved to crouch beside them as the trio conferred in private for several long, agonizing minutes.
Every few seconds, Admiral Zhao would send a sharp look Jenkins’ way, but the Armor Corps Lieutenant Colonel Jenkins remained stoic throughout the sub-conference. He was so close to getting through this meeting that he could taste it, and once the conference room doors closed, he knew his turn on the grill would be over.
For now.
Eventually, the review board’s private conversation ended, and the trio returned to their respective places on the bench.
“Why don’t we cut through this façade, Colonel?” Zhao urged, the intensity of his gaze belying the gravity of his tone. “Tell us, right here and right now, what really happened down there. You’ve got one chance, so don’t just make it good…” He raised a finger pointedly before placing it, tip-down, on the bench before him. “Make it the truth.”
“The truth, Admiral Zhao?” Jenkins repeated, legitimately surprised by the admiral’s sudden shift in direction.
“So help you God,” Zhao replied grimly.
Jenkins drew a long breath, which he exhaled audibly while lowering his eyes to the floor in front of the bench. He silently kept his gaze fixed there for a full minute, before finally saying, “The truth, as far as I can tell, is that the Jemmin didn’t want us to contact the Vorr or the third species. They did everything in their power to prevent us from making contact and achieving our objective, and it worked. We killed the very creatures we were sent to meet with, and we did it because the Jemmin manipulated events and information with such expert ability that we didn’t even realize we were being manipulated. The truth, Admiral Zhao—” He lifted his gaze to meet the admiral’s, meaning every single word he next spoke. “—is that the Jemmin don’t want the Terran Republic to survive out here, and the events of Shiva’s Wrath prove that beyond the shadow of a doubt.” He leaned back in his chair, shaking his head in bitter resentment as he wrapped that truth in perhaps the most important half-truth of his entire report. “We only made it off Shiva’s Wrath due to Colonel Li’s resourcefulness in neutralizing the Jemmin computer virus at a key moment of the engagement. Without his efforts, I wouldn’t be here today and neither would my people.”
Admiral Zhao was unconvinced, but something in his expression suggested that Jenkins might have bought himself enough time with what he hoped were his closing remarks. The admiral looked down from the bench, looming imperiously as he studied Jenkins from head to toe in silence while Major General Kavanaugh and Colonel Villa looked on.
“Thank you, Colonel Jenkins,” Zhao finally said. “You are dismissed.”
“Thank you, Admiral.” Jenkins stood from his chair, turning to the other members of the board in turn. “Major General. Colonel.”
He turned on his heel and made for the door, half-surprised that the admiral failed to call after him before he exited the room.
“Nuts flush,” Xi declared triumphantly, laying down her king-high flush. “All right, pubes, pay up.”
“Aww, man,” Lieutenant Winters groaned, throwing his hand in while snickers echoed around one of the sickbay’s bedside-tray-turned-card-table. “How the hell can you be so lucky?” he muttered as Xi raked in the pile of makeshift currency, most of which consisted of coffee cream packets and other condiment sachets.
“She’s not lucky, Winters,” Lieutenant Ford chuckled. “She’s plain good. And mean,” he added, dramatically cradling his crotch.
“What’s the matter, Ford?” Xi quipped. “Can’t handle a little game of footsy with a chick?”
“You’re not a chick, Captain.” Ford shook his head. “You’re a Goddamned buzz-saw.”
“Aww…” She pursed her lips in her best, sickly-sweet pout. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
“Jesus…” Ford backed away, his hands held up in mock surrender. “When she starts talking like that, it’s time for me to run fast and far. I can’t handle another ruptured testicle.” Styles and Winters’ laughter was joined by Private Staubach, who to this point had been an onlooker in the four-hand game.
“Men these days.” Xi sighed as Ford collected his things, patted the sleeping Lu on the leg, and made for the sickbay’s door. “You guys really don’t know how to deal with women, do you?”
“I have to side with Ford on that front, Captain.” Styles grinned after Forktail’s Jock had gone. “You’re not a woman. You’re the angel of death. A guy’d have
to be suicidal to make a move in your direction.”
She cackled with glee before gesturing to the empty seat. “You’re up, Blinky.”
“Really?” he asked, his eyes lighting up as he rummaged through his pockets for two handfuls of currency. “Thanks,” Staubach gushed as he set up his stack and checked his cards.
Before Xi was set to start the bidding, Lu stirred in his hospital bed. The Bonhoeffer’s doctors had kept him sedated for two full weeks longer than Fellows had thought, but Xi was convinced it had been the right call. Just a few hours earlier, they had removed the sedation drugs, and the card-players had gathered to welcome him back to the world.
“Heads up,” Xi said, moving to Lu’s bedside while everyone else did the same. Even Blinky, whose prior excitement at entering the game vanished in the blink of an eye, made his way to the foot of the bed.
Lu looked up, his puffy, pink face no longer bandaged as the replacement skin had finally gotten strong enough to be exposed to light and air. “What…” he croaked, and Xi offered him a sip of water that he gladly accepted. “Where are we?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Back on the Bonhoeffer,” Xi replied, looking around at the other mech crewmen present. “We made it off Shiva’s Wrath.”
“Mission accomplished?” he asked, wincing in pain as he shifted in the bed.
She nodded. “Mission accomplished. All thanks to you.”
Lu gave her a muted look of disapproval, but Winters jumped in. “It’s true, Chief. When that thing dropped the thermite on Elvira’s topside, it would have poured straight into the ammo cans without you closing the emergency slides.”
“We’d be dead if you hadn’t stuck your nose in there and closed that breach, Lu,” Blinky said solemnly, patting Lu on the foot.