Captain (The United Federation Marine Corps Book 4) (17 page)

“Yeah, I gotta go.  But what would you do,” Ryck asked.

“Not my call, Ryck.  It’s your decision.”

“OK, thanks.  I’ll call you again to let you know,” Ryck said, cutting the connection.

He got up and made his way down the stairs to where Charise had brought the twins back.  Charise was the wife of a Navy petty officer, and she did the daycare for the twins while Hannah was at work.

“Daddy!” Esther shouted, dropping her mother’s hand and rushing him. 

Ryck swept her up in his arms and squeezed her tight.  “I missed you snuggle bunny!”

“I missed you too, Daddy!  Mommy and Noah missed you too,” she said in his ear, her little arms wrapped around his neck.

Ryck looked over her shoulder to where Noah stood, taking Hannah’s hand that Esther had dropped in his.  He looked up at Ryck uncertainly. 

Ryck felt a twinge of guilt.  Noah was a loving boy, but not as outgoing as his sister.  Ryck being gone so much had an effect on him, and not a good one.

“Aren’t you going to hug your father?” Ryck asked.

Noah looked up at Hannah, who nodded and urged him forward.  Noah dutifully walked up to Ryck and hugged his leg.  Ryck squatted, shifting Esther to one arm and enveloping his son with his other.

“Welcome home, Captain Lysander,” Charise said from the door.

“Charise, I keep telling you its Ryck,” he told her. 

“I know,” she said.  “I just, well, I’ll leave you to your homecoming.  I’ve got Abby in the hover, and Brian’ll be home soon.”

Abby was Charise’s own baby and Brian her husband.

“OK, Charise, thanks.  I’ll call you later,” Hannah said as she left.

Charise was right, though.  This was the real homecoming.  The twins had been asleep when he’d gotten home the night before, and while he’d hugged them both in their beds, and they had mumbled greetings of a sort, they were too far gone to remember much.  In the morning, and waking up early, he’d gone to work before they woke up.

“Hey, I brought you two something,” Ryck said, perking both of them up.  He let go of them and opened the entrance closet, taking out two wrapped presents.  He handed them to the twins, who squealed as they tore off the paper wrapping.

“Oh, top special,” Noah said as he pulled the Miyama organ out of the box.  This was the child’s version with four different instruments.  They music could be created by hitting each protruding key, or recorded songs could be played.  He immediately hit the image of the drum and started pounding away.

“Oh, thanks,” Hannah said with mock concern, rolling her eyes.

Esther took a few more moments, not wanting to tear the wrapping paper.  She took out the vision block and peered in.  This was the Animal Friend block, and inside were holos of various animals.  The images were real, but the animals spoke to the child, telling the child about their lives, how they got their food, how the environment was important to them.

“Oh, thank you, Daddy,” she said, lost in the block.

Ryck had gotten both presents at the PX earlier in the day.  Neither twin was old enough to appreciate something specifically from one of the planets he’d been on, not that there had been anything unique enough to buy anyway.  No, a PX gift was good enough.

“Give me five minutes, Ryck, and dinner will be on the table, Hannah told him.

He gave her an air kiss and sat down on the couch, watching his two children play.  Noah hadn’t altered his tempo, but he seemed happy enough to be simply making noise.  Esther was quiet with only a few “ohs” and “look at that” exclaimed as he watched her.

He missed this.  The kids were so much bigger than when he’d left, and he resented losing out on their growth and development.  But he’d chosen his path, and this was just one price he had to pay.  He thought back to Col Ketter’s statement, that he could just resign his commission.  If he did that, he could be with his family every night.  He could be part of them instead of just a transient observer who bounced in and out of their lives.

As if reading his thoughts, as if she could tell Ryck was troubled, Esther looked up at him, a look of concern on her face.  She placed the Animal Friend on the table and crept up on the couch.  Ryck kept his arm down on his side and she slowly moved in, her little body pressed up against his.  She wormed her head between his arm and his body, then slowly forced her way up and under his arm.  Her little arm reached up and encircled his waist.

His snugglebunny.  She’d been doing this since she could crawl, and it had become something between them, a bond between father and daughter.   Now that she had gained her position, Ryck relaxed his arm, putting it around her and pulling her tight. 

He looked down at her, filled with love.  It was hard to believe that Hannah and he had created such two perfect little people. 

What would she think of her father, he wondered, as she got into her teen years?  Would she resent his absences?  Accepting the orders would mean three whole years away from his family.  Would she resent that he was not always there for her?  If he pulled strings to get the order changed, would she resent it when the other kids told her that her father was an asshole, that their fathers hated him?

Most of the time, she seemed stronger than her brother, but Ryck thought she would be more bothered than him by other kids’ teasing.  Noah was better in his own world, but Esther craved attention, craved love.

It was Ryck’s job to raise his kids, to bring them up right.  It was a daunting task, and one he wasn’t sure he could handle.  Hannah was better than him at this.  All he could do was try his utmost to be the best father he could be.

Looking at her, he made up his mind.  He knew what he had to do.

Chapter 25

Ryck got up early, showered and shaved.  He wanted to catch Colonel Ketter earlier in his working day, when the colonel might be in a better mood.  He leaned over and kissed his still-sleeping wife on the forehead, then slipped out of the room and house and into the Hyundai. 

It was a short drive to base, and his mind was racing as he considered his options.  Now that it was morning, he wondered if he’d made the right choice.

The gate AI cleared him, and he drove to battalion, skipping his company CP.  This early, there was only the watch officer and his duty staff up and about.

“You’re up early, Captain Lysander,” Lt Parsons, from Bravo company, said as Ryck entered the building.

“Need to use the comms,” Ryck told him.

“Sergeant Smith, why don’t you open the comms shed for the captain,” Parsons told his duty NCO. 

Sgt Smith pulled out the access badges and led Ryck down the passage to comms.  He had to look through the badges to find the right one.  He held it up to the access port, and the hatch swung open.

“Stop by the duty office, sir, when you’re done so I can lock up, please,” the sergeant said as he left Ryck to his call.

Ryck logged in, then punched in Col Ketter’s office.  Within moments, the same woman as before came on the screen.  Ryck thought he saw a small look of displeasure cross her face, but she told him she would connect him to the colonel.

A few moments later, the screen switched to the colonel.

“Captain Lysander, I trust you have made your decision?” Colonel Ketter asked. 

Unlike with his secretary, the look of distaste on his face was more pronounced.  Ryck couldn’t blame him.  Threatening to go over an officer’s head was sure to raise more than a little anger.

“Yes, sir, I wanted to say a few things.”

When Ryck paused, the colonel prompted him, “So say it.  I’ve got a lot on my table today.”

How am I going to say it?

Ryck took a deep breath, then jumped right in.  “Sir, about yesterday, I abjectly apologize for my actions and words.”

The colonel was visibly surprised.  This obviously was not what he’d expected.

“I was completely out-of-line, and I hope you can accept my apology.

“I felt, and still feel, for that matter, that I am not qualified for such a sensitive billet, but I am a Marine, and if you think I am right for this job, then I will give it my all. I think it was my duty to express my misgivings, but once expressed, it was also my duty to salute and march on.  To threaten you, and that is exactly what I did, no getting around it, was deplorable and not what a Marine does.  I can’t tell you how sorry I am, and as one Marine to another, I hope you can forgive me.”

There, I said it,
he thought, glad he’d gotten most of what he wanted to say out.

Col Ketter just stared at Ryck for a moment before he gathered himself and said, “Well, Captain.  I must say you surprised me, especially given your, well, your reputation.”

That comment cut Ryck to the bone. 

How the grubbing hell did I ever let it get to that?  How did I not realize what was happening?

“But I am relieved to hear that, and let’s forget that conversation ever happened.  I certainly have not relayed it to anyone yet.  So apology accepted,” the colonel said.

Ryck let out a breath of air he hadn’t realized he was holding.  He’d been in the wrong, and the colonel would have had every right to take action.  Medal holder or not, he couldn’t survive being on the wrong end of that.  He’d probably still be promoted to major, but his reputation would be officially trashed, and his career would peter out with make-do billets.

“Can I ask you something, Captain?” the colonel asked.

“Certainly, sir.”

“If you had gone to someone higher up, as you threatened, who would it have been?”

The question surprised Ryck, but he answered truthfully, “Probably General Ukiah, sir.”

A smile came over the colonel’s face.  “I thought as much.  He’s known as one of your godfathers.  Do you know, though, that he was the one who selected you for this billet?”

“General Ukiah?  Not you, sir?” Ryck asked, caught completely off guard.

“I’m just a colonel, son.  For sensitive positions like this, assignments are well above my pay grade.  I just issue the orders.”

And take the grief,
Ryck thought. 
Another officer would have passed the buck, but Colonel Ketter assumed all responsibility.

“Oh, if you had gone to him, he’d have gotten the orders rescinded.  He said you probably would not like them, but he felt you were the right Marine for the job,” the colonel said.

“Well, Captain, I’ve got work to do.  Your actual orders will be issued in a few hours.”

“Uh, thank you sir.  I mean, for understanding.”

“Understanding what?  Nothing happened as far as I’m concerned.”

“Uh, yeah, thank you, sir,” Ryck got out before the colonel nodded and cut the connection. 

Ryck sat, staring at the blank screen as he thought about what had just happened.  The colonel could have told him the first time they had spoken that General Ukiah had selected him for the billet.  That would have saved a lot of grief.  Ryck could have called the general and rationally discussed the assignment.  Instead, Ryck had blown up at a full colonel, one just doing his job.

The colonel had stood fast.  Both the colonel and Ryck knew that he could have gone to another general, and depending on who it was, that could have caused the colonel some serious headaches.  But he let it play out by the book.

Had this been some sort of test?
he wondered.

He didn’t think so, but it could have been.

Ryck left the comms shed, told Sgt Smith to secure it, then wandered over to his company CP.  He slowly got into his PT gear for an early morning run.

He’d let Hannah know after work.  She wouldn’t be happy, but at least she could stay put for three more years.  The twins were four, almost five.  He’d be gone for three years, almost as long as they’d been alive.  He hoped they would understand

Ryck did not want to leave them, but more than that, he wanted them to be proud of him.  He didn’t want them growing up knowing their father was a royal asshole, disliked and resented. 

And he had been an asshole.  He realized that now.  As he walked out the hatch and lurched into his run, he swore things would be different from here on.  It would be difficult, but he had to change that perception.

And no matter what, the words “Do you know who I am?” would never cross his lips again.

Chapter 26

“Oh, nice shot, XO.  But you’re killing me,” Ryck said as Lt. Peltier-Aswad’s drive arched over the fairway to land and roll some 250 or 260 meters away, a short iron shot to the green.  “You do know that evals are coming up, and ‘loyalty’ is one of the categories?”

Ryck, the first sergeant, the XO, and SSgt Grimes made up the foursome, and after 12 holes, the XO had pocketed the ante for ten of the holes.  Ryck hadn’t taken a single hole yet.

The battalion was on half days for a week following its return from deployment. With Hannah working and the twins with Charise, Ryck had accepted the XO’s invitation for a round of golf.  It felt good to get out on the course, the first time he’d golfed in at least five years.

“Sure do, sir, but I think loyalty to the integrity of the game counts, doesn’t it, First Sergeant?”

“Yes, I imagine it does, XO,” the first sergeant agreed as he teed up.

“Your eval comes up next month, I might remind you,” Ryck said just as the first sergeant started his swing.

It didn’t matter.  First Sergeant Hecs’ drive was almost as pretty as the XO’s. 

“You need more than that, Skipper,” Hecs said as he put the driver back into his bag.

“Yeah, like a game,” the XO said, causing the other three Marines to break out into laughter. 

Ryck shouldered his bag and stepped off.  At least SSgt Grimes was struggling, and Ryck’s drive on the hole wasn’t the worst.  This was a good day, and Ryck felt great.  He’d submitted the award recommendations for the deployment.  He’d forwarded a number of Battle Commendations for the CO’s approval, and had recommended three Marines, including SSgt Grimes, for a Distinguished Meritorious Service Medal, which had to be approved by the Awards Board back at Headquarters.  Giving out awards, or, in this case, merely recommending them, always put him in a good mood.  Add the beautiful day and his three companions out on the course with him, and yes, it didn’t get much better than this. 

But it could get worse.  Almost simultaneously, all four Marines’ tethers sounded recall.

“Crap, what now?” Hecs asked.

Ryck pulled his tether out of his pocket, but no explanation was given on the readout.  This was a Class A recall.  They had less than two hours to have the company formed up and ready for whatever.  Ryck rather thought it was just a drill, to make sure Marines could be recalled, but you never knew.

“OK, let’s head her up.  XO, make sure the lieutenants are responding.  First Sergeant, get confirmation from the SNCOs.”

Both men got on their PAs as the four Marines walked back to the clubhouse.  The XO gave Ryck a thumbs up after only a minute or so.  First Sergeant Hecs was not as quick to give confirmation. 

“Got everyone?” Ryck asked as they made their way to the parking lot.

“Sams,” Hecs grunted out.  “He said he’d be in his quarters, but he’s not responding.”

“OK, the SNCO quarters are on the way back.  Let’s just sweep him up along the way.”

The four Marines got in their hovers and pulled out, starting back to the battalion area.  Ryck and Hecs made a detour at the SNCO quarters, pulling in at Sams’ building.  Both Marines got out and climbed the stairs to the second floor, the first sergeant knocking on the hatch.  There was no answer, and he knocked again.  They could hear faint movement inside, and the hatch finally opened, exposing a naked and tousled Tara Samuelson.  She motioned her thumb over her shoulder and casually walked to the cooler, where she dialed down a fruit drink.

Ryck tried not to stare at her as the two Marines entered Sams’ quarters.  He’d seen Tara naked before on GenAg 13, but that was in a combat situation.  This was different.  This was in Sams’ quarters, and it was obvious that the two had been enjoying some carnal pleasures. 

Sams wandered out of the bedroom, equally naked and equally tousled. 

“What’s up, First Sergeant?” he asked, then, “Oh, hi, Skipper.”

Hecs threw him a pair of trousers that were lying haphazardly on the couch, among other pieces of clothing, both male and female.

“We’ve been recalled, or didn’t you hear your tether?” Hecs asked.

“No shit?  A recall?  I didn’t hear.  I sort of stuck my tether in my sock drawer for a bit of time, you know, so we wouldn’t be interrupted.”

“A bit of time?  That’s an understatement,” Tara muttered as she found her panties and slid into them.  She sat down at the couch.

“We’re still technically deployable, as you well know,” Hecs admonished Sams.  “You can’t be hiding your tether, or turning off your PA.”

“Yeah, you’re right.  My bust.  Look, we’ve still got an hour and forty minutes.  Let me get dressed and cleaned up, and I’ll meet you at the company,” he said, looking hungrily at Tara.

“No, I think you’re coming with us now,” Hecs told him.

Sams sighed, but went back to his room, coming out again in two minutes, uniform on.

“I’ll probably be back in a couple of hours,” he told Tara.  “If it’s longer than that, just let yourself out if you have to go.”

Tara waved over the back of the couch as she turned on the holo.

“You do know the meaning of ‘ex-wife,’ don’t you?” Ryck asked Sams as the hatch closed.

“Well yeah, of course I do,” Sams said.

“Yet you’re in there screwing your ex?” Hecs asked.

“Hell, yeah!  I mean, so we can’t live together without killing each other.  That doesn’t mean we can’t fuck.  Why punish ourselves like that?” he said, sounding perplexed.

Ryck just shook his head.  He’d known Sams almost his entire Marine Corps career, and just when he thought he understood the gunny, something else came up.

Fifteen minutes later, the three Marines pulled into the company headquarters.  The XO was getting the counts in and seemed to have things well in hand, so Ryck changed into the spare uniform he kept in his wall-locker and left for battalion.  Hopefully, the drill would end soon, and he’d be home before the twins were brought back.

Donte was walking to battalion, too, and Ryck caught up with him.

“You hear anything?” Ryck asked.

“Nah.  Just another drill, I’m guessing.  Bad timing, too.  I had the steaks on the grill—real steaks, not fabricated ones.  Had to take them off and come down.”

“Real steaks?  What, you win the lottery?”

“Marry rich, my man, marry rich.  Caitlan’s parents brought them over.  They’ve been visiting for the last month while we were deployed.  They’ll be leaving next week, thank goodness.”

“Hey, send them my way if you want.  I’ll put up with any in-laws if they’re packing real steaks,” Ryck said with a laugh.

The two captains entered the battalion CP.  There was an air about the building.  Ryck’s combat sense picked up the vibe.  He had a sudden feeling this might not be just a drill.

Virag Ganesh came down the passageway.  When he saw the two other captains, he changed direction and came up to them.

“Better get into the conference room.  The CO’s calling a meeting in fifteen,” he said.

“Why, Virag?  What’s up?”  This is just a drill, right?” Donte asked.

Virag looked around as if trying to see if anyone was listening.  “No, this is the real deal.  We’re going back on the
Inchon
.  The Confederation has taken over one of our disputed systems, and we’re going to get it back.”

“But we’re not deployed anymore.  3/11’s on the
Sevastopol
, and they’re operational.” Donte protested.

The
Sevastopol
was the fourth
Falklands
Class IAT, and with 3/11 onboard, it had taken over the reins from the
Inchon
two days before the
Inchon
arrived back on Sunshine.  If there was a contingency, that task force should respond to it.

Virag’s voice got lower as he leaned in. “Word has it that the Marines and Navy have not meshed well, and the Navy command doesn’t think the
Sevastopol
is up to the challenge.  We’re a proven commodity, and they want us.  The commandant agreed, so we’re back into the breach.”

They’d only been back for five days, barely enough time to get reacquainted with friends and family.  Post-deployment leave hadn’t been scheduled for another week-and-a-half, so at least the battalion was at full strength.  Even Sgt Ling, out of regen, had met them upon their return, completely restored to full-duty status.

After Kakurega, Ryck had still wished for a real mission to wash the nasty taste of that one out of his mouth.  Their mission to PPL-7, the one that had pulled them off of Kakurega, had been a let-down.  Upon their arrival in orbit, the disputing parties, well aware of what had happened on Kakurega, had come to the table and settled their differences.  This was a huge victory for the Federation.  They had used the Marines as a threat, and without any real action, had diffused a problem.

Ryck knew this was perfect use of the Marines, but he wasn’t suited to be simply a threat.  He, like most Marines, wanted action.

Ryck had just gotten back, and part of him wanted more time with his family, but deep within his DNA was the desire to march to the sound of guns.  His heart raced as he followed Donte into the conference room.

He was going back into the fight!