Free Duty from Ashes by Sam Schal

get rid of them.”
    Elizabeth’s expression clouded. Seeing it, Ashlyn swallowed hard. She’d seen that expression many times when she was younger. It was the expression her mother had worn whenever Ash told her about something going wrong at school. At least this time she hadn’t done anything wrong. – she hoped. All she could do now was wait as Elizabeth considered everything she’d said and either agreed with what she wanted to do or told her no.
    Instead of commenting, Elizabeth remained silent. Ash waited, her pulse beating a bit faster. Then, her mother nodded, indicating she wanted Ashlyn to continue.
    “I’ll admit I’m a bit sensitive to my position in the Corps – and the battalion – right now. So, to make sure I’m not overreacting, I’ve ordered Luce to set the two companies the officers and sergeant are assigned to through their paces in sims and on the O Course today. We’ll be meeting over breakfast in the morning to discuss how they did.”
    “What parameters did you put on the sims?”
    “I told her to push them. Ground and space sims. Variants are to include senior noncoms being taken out of the mix as well as the officers, at different times. I want to see how the companies respond when they have to act without their officers and vice versa. I also told her to set one sim for shipboard where the senior naval personnel are taken out. I want to see what the officers have their people do in that sort of an emergency.”
    “Excellent. There is a reason why most of our people are cross-trained with naval personnel.” Elizabeth nodded in approval. “What else?”
    “Well, MJ Adamson will be setting up the O Course for them and, if I know her, she will run it with them as well.”
    Now Elizabeth threw her head back and laughed. “That’s just evil, Ash. MJ is one of the best we have at the O Course. She’ll not only run them in the ground but she will probably scare them to death as she does.”
    “I have no problem with that, Mom.” And she didn’t, at least not in a metaphorical sense. “We’re Devil Dogs. That means we have to be the biggest and meanest sons of bitches to take to the battlefield, no matter whether it is in space or on the ground. You and Dad taught me that when I was just a kid. Pawlak drummed it into me as a new member of the battalion when I transferred in.”
    “But there’s more, isn’t there?”
    Now it was Ashlyn’s turn to remain silent. Except her mother was better at waiting her out and always had been. Finally, realizing Elizabeth wasn’t going to speak until she did, Ash nodded.
    “There is.” She sipped her coffee, trying to find the right words to explain what she had in mind without making her mother worry more than she was already. “I’m going to run the course with them and, no, MJ and Lucinda don’t know.’
    For a moment, Elizabeth didn’t say anything. Then she nodded, a look of understanding on her face. “Ash, I’d probably do the same thing, were our roles reversed. However, I have a feeling my reasons to do so would be less complicated than yours.” She held up a hand before Ashlyn could interrupt. “Yes, you are doing this to show the members of the two companies that not all officers are like their COs. But you are also doing it to prove to yourself and anyone else who might have doubts that you are more than ready to take over the Devil Dogs.”
    “Mom—”
    “Don’t.” There was a bite to Elizabeth’s voice and Ash closed her mouth with an almost audible snap . “You wouldn’t be having these second thoughts, at least not to this level, if that bastard Hines hadn’t pulled that crock of shit with the sim the other day. Admit it, you’ve been stewing about what he said since then.” Now she pinned Ash with a firm look, waiting until Ash nodded reluctantly. “Damn it, Ashlyn, I wish you’d get it through your thick head that no one but you doubts your ability to return to duty.”
    “Don’t give me that,