44
“Nexus of Chaos. Hmph.”
Rev sat at attention, his eyes focused on a spot on the wall behind the desk.
The Commandant of the Union Marine Corps put down his pad, then leaned forward over his desk like a predator, with Rev as his prey.
“Was Master Guns Tuala right? Are you a nexus of chaos?”
Rev wasn’t sure if the question was rhetorical, but he said, “No, sir. I don’t think so.”
“Are you saying the master guns is lying?”
“Oh, no, sir!”
Crap, I’m digging myself a big hole here.
“Good. I think he’d be pretty upset if you were telling me that.”
Rev risked looking down and catching the commandant’s eyes.
“The master guns and I go back a long way. Went to primary school together, he and his twin brother, and we all three enlisted right after graduation. Served with him in Three-Six, Twenty-Eighth Marines at the same time, too.”
Rev shifted his gaze back to the wall.
“The thing is, he may have a point. I’ve just gone over your records. For the fourth time, I might add. First, when you and Corporal Reiser found that tin-ass. The second time was for approval to become IBHU Number 1. The third time was when you went off the reservation with the Fries. And now this. Do you have any idea how often I have to go over an individual Marine’s records once, much less four times?”
This time Rev knew he wasn’t expected to reply.
“It boggles my mind that a provincial Marine could be at so many critical points in history. Nexus of Chaos is right, I think. But forget what I think for the moment. Why do you think you seem to be in the middle of everything?”
Rev didn’t know. He and Tomiko had even discussed it on the flight back from the Home System, before Rev was sidetracked to New Mars.
“I can’t help the situations I find myself in. But each time, I just do what I think is right, sir.”
“And have you been right?”
“I think so, sir. I wouldn’t change anything.”
The commandant sat back in his chair.
“Well, it looks like this time you were right. Again.”
Rev dropped his eyes from the wall and bore into the commandant.
“Sir?”
“This is still highly classified, but you’ll be cleared for the level of classification soon enough. Yes, it looks like you were right in what you did.”
“Is the Mother . . . ?”
“Still there, still beautiful. But it was a close call. Only two of their Three’s, as they call it, were still alive when we ceased operations.”
“And the planet-breakers?”
He hesitated, and Rev knew he was getting into things that the powers probably wanted to keep secret. But he said, “Still active and connected to the two Threes. But two more are coming in. They will be connected to the weapon somehow, so we’ll have four of their teams. A little safer than two.
“The negotiators are trying to get the weapon dismantled, but the tin-asses are holding firm, at least until they feel safe. It looks like that damn thing is going to be a Sword of Damocles for the near future, at least. Better than the alternative, though.”
The commandant gave Rev a conspiratorial look. “That was brilliant, by the way. The Torinth Accords, Paragraph, uh . . .”
“Paragraph 5.23.2. Second time I used it, but this time it was on purpose. My battle buddy told me all about it.”
“It was perfect. Admiral LaPlata was going to pop an artery, from what I heard.”
“I didn’t mean to make him mad, sir. I just had to get them to stop the attacks, and he kept going on and on.”
“Don’t worry about him. He’s an asshole and always has been. I served with him on the Joint Staff on Enceladus, and everyone hated him.”
“I didn’t think anyone would really adhere to that law, though. Not in this case.”
“Why the hell not? That sure got the civilian side of the house to support what you did. They’d always wanted a negotiated settlement, but the tin-asses wouldn’t cooperate, and the balance of power has been shifting to the military side. You not only found out the tin-asses wanted to negotiate, but you gave our diplomats the legal excuse to at least start the process.”
Rev would have liked to say he’d realized that, but this was the first time anything to do with the civilian leadership of the Council had even been brought to his attention. All he’d wanted to do was to save the Mother, and it had come so close to being a catastrophe. What had the commandant told him?
“You said there were only two of the Threes left?”
“Forty-nine objectives. Forty-seven taken. But a Mad Dog, of all people, saw the same thing as you did. He stopped their assault. Never got the info dump you did, but still. Evidently, the Mad Dog lieutenant didn’t have the hubris to think he could negotiate for all of humanity.”
Rev glanced back at the commandant, but he thought there was a little twinkle in the man’s eyes.
He took a chance. “Marines are taught to improvise and act, sir. We don’t wait for orders.”
The commandant laughed. “Touché, Sergeant.”
“But if I can ask, sir. What about the rest of their demands? I mean, the antidote, the help with their survival.”
“I don’t know for sure. The Council has taken over, and they’re not revealing too much to the military. And I’m just a Union officer.”
Just a Union officer? You’re the freakin’ Commandant of the Union Marines. You control more power than any single planet.
“But, from what I can glean, the antidote has already been released.”
“I trust our people have a little back door to it, in case the tin-asses double-cross us.”
The commandant looked surprised. “Who told you that?”
“Uh, no one, sir.”
Well, no one had told him that. He, Tomiko, and Hussein had discussed the antidote on the flight back, and they’d come to the conclusion that it would be a good idea.
“Son of a bitch. Nexus of Chaos indeed. Word to the wise, Sergeant. Don’t go around talking about that possibility. You don’t need any more attention on your head.”
“Point taken, sir.”
“Which brings me to what I’m going to do with you.”
“Sir?”
“You already have a lot of attention on you, and that isn’t necessarily a good thing. People notice underlings who stand out. Some want to bring them into their orbit; others want to crush them before they can grow strong enough to survive the infighting on their own. And you, my young sergeant, you’re seen as a wild card, someone unpredictable and who’s had an outsized effect on society.”
“But you said I’ve been right so far.”
“You are a true warrior, but you’re a babe in the political arena, no offense intended. You think being right matters? The same people who will thank the Mother you were there and you did what you did fear that the next time things can go horribly wrong.”
“Who says there will be a next time, sir?”
“Nexus of Chaos. ’Nuff said.”
“But if I’m doing the right thing—”
“Did you do the right thing in stopping a potential confrontation with the Fries?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And what happened to you.”
“Uh . . . I got arrested, sir. Busted down a rank.”
“And D-4 remembers that entire evolution. They remember D-3 winning that fight to get you released, and they hate you for that. And others fear the chaos that seems to follow you wherever you go.”
“I’m just a sergeant, sir. I don’t have any power.”
“Soon to be staff sergeant. Oh, you didn’t know that? You got your date of rank reinstated along with your chevrons. You’ll be up for staff sergeant on the next board, and I’ve got a funny feeling you’ll make it.”
“Even if D-4 hates me, like you say?” Rev asked, the bitterness coming out in his voice. He didn’t deserve anyone’s hate.
“Luckily for you, D-4 has no say in military promotions. But let me ask you this. Do you even want to stay in the Marines?”
“I don’t think I have a choice. We’re all indefinite.”
“We were going to release all the convicts when we thought the war was over before. Sorry, involuntary enlistees. If this thing with the tin-asses holds true, then I think we’re going to be ordered to do that again. And as you are a—”
“Convict. I know what I am.”
The commandant nodded his acknowledgment and continued, “Since you are a convict, you’ll be released. Do you want that?”
A year ago, even six months ago, Rev would have said he wanted to stay. But all this extra attention, and the fact that there were evidently government agencies that hated him, to use the commandant’s phrasing, grated on him. He really didn’t like the limelight, and maybe it was time to withdraw from the scene. But he wasn’t going to commit one way or the other in this kind of situation.
“I haven’t really thought about it, sir.”
“Well, if you have enemies, you also have friends in high places, Sergeant. Given your record of service, and given your unique capabilities,” he said as he pointedly looked down at Rev’s social arm, “I think your retention would be approved. The question is where you would be assigned.”
“I’m a Raider, sir.”
“Granted. But it might not be the best place for you. Too much notoriety and too easy to find.” He shook his head to clear it. “But that’s for another time and place to discuss. I just wanted to call you in and have a little chat. I’ve never met a Nexus of Chaos, and I wanted to get a feel for the real person behind the records. But starting now, my staff will be debriefing you for the next two days. Please be as blunt as you can. Don’t hold anything back.
“And enjoy the stay. I can arrange a tour if you want to see the sights. The cherry trees in this hemisphere are blooming, and that’s something you shouldn’t miss. Just let your handler . . .” he paused as he checked his pad. “Uh, yes, Gunny Thalmond, let her know, and she’ll hook you up after my staff is done with you. Take a few days off. And after that, we’ll get you back to New Hope.”
The Commandant of the Perseus Union Marine Corps stood up, hand outstretched.
Rev, conscript sergeant, took the hand, just one Marine to another.