“He was just promoted. His name is Captain Lin Mikado.”
Kosiev had to admit that things were looking better.
After Kosiev left the staff meeting, Tag looked at Colonel Solerio and said, “I have something I want you to do. The enforcement committee is holding a prisoner by the name of Richard Wiseman. I happen to know a lot about his skills and character. I want him released and returned to full active duty. Give him the rank of a naval marine battalion commander and plan to drop his command on the settlement on Ross that has the highest concentration of Cainth soldiers. He has something to prove to himself and this is the only way he can atone for what he’s done.”
“But he’s a criminal.”
“So was I. Sometimes circumstances make people do things that they ordinarily would never do. This is not a request.”
Tag looked at the Director and she turned and looked at Colonel Solerio and said, “This man is the chosen leader of special forces. Next time you question one of his directives, you will be the prisoner. Is that clear enough for you?”
The colonel turned red and said, “The orders will be issued immediately.”
Tag said, “Give him three days’ leave to go home and get his affairs in order after he reports to Admiral Kosiev.”
“Yes sir.”
Director Nicole and Tag sat in her office drinking a stimulant drink. “Thomas, do you think we have any chance? Should we just yield to the occupation?”
“No, Misty. By the way, call me Tag. Right now I believe our ships are better than anything the Alliance has. They will eventually learn about our Coronado technology. However, they don’t know now, and unless one of our ships falls into their hands, they won’t know how we do what we do. You’re right to be concerned about a mass attack. Our task is to make them make small attacks until we bleed them dry enough to even the odds. We can’t show them our ship numbers, but we can use a small number on each attack. We’ll also shift the fleet around so that all our ships will have the opportunity to learn how we maneuver and acquire some combat experience. By the time the final battle is fought, the odds will be more even. Another thing that will help us in the long run is that our construction facilities are producing 150 new Washington class ships every month. If we can draw this conflict out, we’ll have more than seven thousand ships in a year. We have to be careful. We have to make sure that the Alliance thinks they can destroy us any time they choose.”
“Perhaps they can,” Misty said.
“We’ll know shortly,” Tag answered.
Admiral Dorg was pleased with the results of his plan so far. The humans had been shown no mercy during the occupation and he felt certain that the home world would fight before allowing him to occupy it. He has not lost a single ship in destroying the Grendap. Their civilization was so primitive. They couldn’t even crash their ships into his because they were so slow. He would wrap up operations in another eight rotations and be ready to invade the humans within fifteen rotations. He had to stop on the way back and have the troop ships join his armada. Oh, how he wished he could have been there when the hostages were executed. He played the recording over and over, enjoying it more with each playing. He looked forward to personally executing all the members of the humans’ government. “Just a few more rotations,” he kept repeating to himself.
Richard Wiseman was having his nightmare again. He was asleep in his cell turning restlessly as he saw the young girl try to run by him in his dream. He reached out and stopped her and held her by the arm. Her face showed that she was terrified, and she looked helplessly in his eyes as one of the Marco brothers came up and stabbed her in the chest with a knife. She screamed and he woke up. He hated himself for all that they had made him do, and the young girl visited him regularly in his dreams. “Part of the price of my sins,” he thought. He was worried about his family and he was also worried about Daniel.
Daniel had turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to his family. Richard knew in his heart that he deserved what he was getting. He just hoped his family would survive.
“Richard Wiseman?” a man in military uniform asked at his cell door.
“Yes, that’s me.”
The man turned to the security officer and said, “Open this man’s cell; he’s being released.”
“What? What? What?” Richard said.
“Come with me, please.”
Richard followed the soldier into a room where there was a naval marine colonel sitting at a desk. The colonel nodded to the soldier, who then left the room. “Richard Wiseman, please sign this form.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a pardon for all your crimes from the Director.”
“Why? I deserve what happens to me.”
“We reviewed the tapes and it appears you never actually killed anyone. It was the other four that did the murders. We’ve been told your family was threatened, and if you had not participated they would have been killed.”
“It doesn’t matter. I helped those monsters, which makes me as guilty as they are,” Richard said while holding his head in his hands and looking at the floor.
The colonel looked at him for a long moment and then said, “Maybe so, but sign here anyway.” Richard signed the form, and then the colonel said, “I also need you to sign this form.”
“And what is that?”
“You are being assigned to active duty with the rank of lieutenant colonel. You will report to Admiral Kosiev in fleet operations immediately, and in three days you will take command of a battalion of naval marines that is scheduled to be dropped in a relief effort at Ross’s star. Your training will start as soon as you report.”
Richard was dazed. “How can this be happening?” he thought. His highest rank when he served was master sergeant. Then he asked, “Do I receive a lieutenant colonel’s pay and benefits, sir?”
“You actually receive double pay because of forthcoming combat. You will have full benefits including retirement and medical as soon as you sign.”
“Hand me that paper, sir.”
Richard was transported to the Washington. “Boy, that’s a beautiful ship,” he thought as the shuttle approached. He still could not understand what was going on, and now he was reporting to the fleet admiral, no less. The ship docked and Richard was met at the port by two naval marines that saluted him and said, “Welcome aboard, sir. Will you follow us, please?”
Richard returned their salute and said, “Lead the way.”
He walked to the ship’s bridge that was a hundred yards up ship, entered, and came to attention as he saw Fleet Admiral Kosiev. “Lieutenant Colonel Richard Wiseman reporting as ordered, sir,” he said. “Damn. I just can’t get used to saying that,” he thought.
“At ease, Colonel,” Kosiev said. “Do you know why you’re here?”
“I’m confused, sir. I have been released from prison for crimes that I am guilty of committing. I’ve been given a command in the marines and quite frankly, I am not at all sure this is really happening.”
Kosiev looked over Richard’s shoulder and said, “Do you want to explain it?”
Richard turned around and saw a chair next to the science consoles turn around, and there was Daniel. “Daniel!” Richard yelled and ran up and hugged the young man. “I’ve been so worried about you. Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine, Richard. I’ve had you released and assigned to the marines. It seems someone respects my opinions. Let me tell you why I’ve done it.” Tag put his arm around his friend’s shoulder and said softly, “You have some spirits that need to be exorcised, and the only way that can happen is for you to balance your debt. We are going to retake Ross’s world from the Alliance and we’re going to drop a battalion of naval marines on the largest city where the Alliance is most heavily armed. I need someone that understands the importance of saving those civilians, about thirty-five thousand of them, and won’t hesitate to act. I’m giving you a chance to redeem yourself for your past transgressions. There is a good possibility of heavy loss of life-you and your men are being dropped into an extremely dangerous situation-but I need you to rescue those civilians. Will you lead the attack?”
Richard stared at Tag for a long moment and said, “I expected to be executed for my crimes. I don’t believe
