“Yes, Mr. Merrick. She’s expecting you.” The guard was polite, but Merrick noticed he’d said “mister” and not “general.” Merrick had resigned his commission in the army, but as a retired officer, he was entitled to be called by his rank. He wondered if it was a deliberate snub. If so, was it aimed at him or just at the terrestrial army? “The private will escort you there, sir.” The guard motioned toward a light transport. Another Marine, in an equally spotless uniform, stood at attention next to it.
“Thank you, corporal.” Merrick turned and walked over to the vehicle. He pushed aside his uncertainties. The guard probably didn’t even know who he was. The private pressed a controller in his hand and the transport’s bay door opened. Merrick nodded and stepped inside.
The vehicle was a standard battle transport, but the inside had been fitted out to make the passengers a bit more comfortable. Though its accommodations were laughable by Earth standards, it was clear that Gilson had sent the best transportation she had. He leaned back in the borderline comfortable seat and waited as the private buttoned things up and boarded the driver’s compartment.
The ride to Gilson’s HQ was short…no more than five minutes. The hatch opened as soon as the vehicle stopped, and the driver turned and said, “This is General Gilson’s office, sir. Just go through the main door; they are expecting you.”
Merrick walked up to the entry. There was no guard, but as soon as he stepped within a meter of the door, the security AI addressed him. “Please identify.” Merrick smiled. A general’s headquarters on Earth would have a half dozen guards standing around in dress uniforms. He was really starting to admire the sleek practicality of these Marines.
“Isaac Merrick to see General Gilson.”
“Enter, General Merrick.” The AI’s database, at least, had Merrick’s proper title.
He walked through the door. He’d taken about ten steps when a Marine with captain’s bars on her shoulder came walking down the corridor.
“General Merrick, I’m General Gilson’s aide, Captain Holder. Welcome to Marine Headquarters.” She stopped a few meters from Merrick. “If you’ll accompany me, I will take you to the general.”
Merrick nodded and followed Holder. Gilson’s office was just off the main corridor, about fifty meters from the entrance. The general was standing outside her office, barking orders to several officers. Gilson was a tall woman, with a short, spiky haircut, blond with a few wisps of gray. She was attractive, but her style was quite severe. It was clear she was a Marine first. Merrick knew she was in her early sixties, but with the rejuv treatments she looked about forty. When she saw Merrick and Holder approaching she turned to face them.
“General Merrick…welcome to Camp Basilone.”
“Thank you, General Gilson. It is my great pleasure to be here.” Merrick was a little relieved. Gilson’s demeanor was a bit stark, but he had a feeling that was just her personality. He didn’t think there was a war crimes trial in his future, at least.
“General, let’s go into my office. We have much to discuss.” Gilson motioned for Merrick to walk through the door. “I’ve invited one of my key officers to join us.”
Merrick nodded and stepped into Gilson’s office. Standing on the far side of the room was a tall Marine wearing a crisp set of gray fatigues. He turned toward the door.
“Hello, General Merrick. Welcome to Armstrong.”
Merrick noticed the single platinum star on each collar first…then he focused on the face. The recognition was immediate.
Gilson was standing behind him. “General Merrick, I believe you already know Brigadier General Kyle Warren.”
Merrick looked like he’d seen a ghost, but only for an instant. “General Warren. I’m glad to see you well.” Warren had led the rebel forces on Arcadia after Will Thompson was killed. Merrick had surrendered the remnants of the federal army to Warren.
“I’m glad to see you well too, general.” Warren had a pleasant expression on his face, not quite a smile, but enough to relax Merrick. “It will be good working with you and not against you.”
“You can stay in my quarters while I’m gone. Just order up anything you need. I’ve programmed my household AI to follow your instructions.” Sarah still couldn’t believe Alex was alive. The two had been inseparable as children, close even for sisters. The whole family had been tightly knit and happy. Until the 14 year old Sarah caught the eye of Presley Quinn, the son of one of the Alliance’s most powerful senators. That had led to a catastrophic sequence of events, which destroyed the family and left Sarah a fugitive, scraping out an existence in the urban wastelands. She’d believed her sister to be dead all these years…up until the moment she’d walked into Sarah’s office four months earlier.
“Can’t I go with you?” Alex bore a striking resemblance to her older sister. Her hair was a little paler blond, without the reddish tint of Sarah’s. She was a bit taller as well, but only a centimeter or so. “I just found you.”
Once she’d gotten over the initial shock, Sarah had burst into tears, joyous at finding her baby sister alive and well. The two had been joined at the hip since, and Sarah had spent every hour she wasn’t in the hospital catching up with her sister. They didn’t discuss their father and mother…or the tragedy that destroyed the family. That was too painful. But they talked about everything else.
Alex spoke in great detail about an entirely fictitious life, one she’d assembled carefully before making contact with her sister. It ended with her joining a colonization expedition to Wellington…and being evacuated before the enemy attack destroyed the planet. She’d had to modify the manifest of one of the freighters involved in the evac, retroactively adding herself to the passenger list, just in case anyone checked. That had been easy enough…more difficult had been playing the role of the loving sister. Alex hated Sarah…she’d hated her for years. She blamed her for her parents’ death, for the hell she’d lived through…the horrific things she’d had to do to survive. She even blamed her sister for creating the cold, scheming viper she herself had become.
“I’m sorry, Alex.” Sarah’s voice was firm, but conciliatory. “The navy is evacuating as many people from Sandoval as they can. It’s far too dangerous for you to go there. Especially after you just escaped from Wellington.”
In truth, Alex Linden wouldn’t have been caught dead on a miserable speck of dust like Wellington. But it was a good cover. “I can take care of myself. Maybe I can even help.”
“I’m sorry, Alex. It’s just not possible. Admiral Garret would never allow it.” She reached out and took her sister’s hand. “Stay here where it’s safe. I’ll be back. One of these days Erik will be back too, and you can finally meet him.”
“I can’t wait.” Alex’s sweet little grin hid her deathly cold thoughts. “I’m so anxious to meet your Erik after hearing so much about him.” She decided to give up on trying to get to Sandoval. Enough people here knew her as Sarah’s sister, and that should open the door for her to do some significant snooping. Patience was essential in her business. She knew she had to wait for her moment. One day she would meet Erik Cain…then she would take Gavin’s revenge. And after that she would take her own. Oh yes, she thought, we will settle our affairs soon, my dear sister.
Chapter 23
Kristen Jarvis grabbed one of the white towels and wiped her face. It wasn’t easy to get a good workout at zero gravity, but the sweat running down her neck was pretty strong evidence she’d managed it. Broadsword’s captain wrapped the towel around her neck and made her way to the zero grav shower. She’d been working out twice a day – everyone on Broadsword had been. She was doing everything she could to keep the crew mentally and physically sharp.