recycled. Slowly her eyes adjusted until she could make out the opposite bulkhead on the far side of the room. She followed its curve to the end of a row of tiered seating. Then the next row down came into focus. The back of the nearest chair sat five meters away. Promise started scanning, row by row, until she was sure the room was empty and she was in the wrong place.
“Over here, Lieutenant,” said a hollow, gruff voice. A hand popped up about halfway between her and the floor of the tank. Promise might have missed the wave altogether except for the minicomp on the speaker’s wrist, which was lit up like a navigational buoy.
“Center aisle, eight rows down, on the left.” Then the hand disappeared.
She found the steps and saw the back of the colonel’s head a moment later, then stopped in the aisle and came to attention.
“Sir, Lieutenant Paen, reporting for duty, sir!”
“At ease, Lieutenant.” Lieutenant Colonel Halvorsen saluted without rising from his chair, and motioned to the seat one over from his. “Take a seat,” he said. “I do some of my best thinking in here. The lights are different, less artificial, and easier on my eyes. I’m told it has something to do with the tank’s optics.”
The colonel hadn’t asked her a question or invited her to comment. And Promise didn’t know the man at all. Unsure of how to respond, she took the advice of her dearly departed father. Keep your trap shut and listen good.
She had no sooner sat than her chair shifted beneath her; a bit more low-back support. The seat narrowed and the armrests came up. The headrest rose and tilted in until it brushed the nape of her neck. The seat warmer surprised her. She fought the urge to relax and instead forced herself to remain more or less at attention, back rigid, hands folded in her lap.
“Tell me something, Lieutenant. What is the primary duty of a Marine Corps company commander?”
And there it is, she thought. Direct like an energy wep. The gunny was right—he’s trying to make up his mind about me. What would my father have said? Oh, right—bite your tongue young lady, or your words will come back to bite you in the tail. She drew in a slow, measured breath, just as she’d do if she were on the shooting range. The neutral smell of sanitized oxygen swelled in her lungs. Her nose twitched when she detected the slightest hint of saffron in the air. All at once her senses opened up and reached out for confirmation. Mom?
“Present,” Sandra Paen said. “I suggest you stay in the present too. Mind the gunny’s words and the colonel’s. Go on, answer him.”
Not funny, Promise thought back. She was a big girl and she could handle matters on her own. She didn’t need her hand held. She thought she saw an arm wave from the corner of her eye, same row she was seated in, from the opposite side of the aisle. She looked over and saw nothing there.
“Munchkin, why do you keep asking yourself what your father would have said or done? He’s not here anymore.”
The voice was now as close as a whisper and there was no mistaking who it belonged to. She really didn’t know what to call her talks with Sandra Paen. Sometimes it was just her voice in Promise’s head, knocking around like a stray memory. Other times she could swear her mom was really there, with her in the moment. Was her subconscious merely projecting itself into her daily affairs? Had her dearly departed mother somehow reached out from beyond the veil? Had something inside of her cracked? If she was truly honest with herself, a part of her feared that. Did it really matter? Her mother was right. Dad wasn’t here anymore.
Mom, I appreciate it. Really, I do. You’ve got lousy timing.
“My timing is usually spot-on. But, if you really want me gone, I’ll go. Okay?”
Sandra stood up and entered the aisle. She shook her head and then headed up the steps.
Wait!
The colonel cleared his throat. “Lieutenant? How long do you plan on keeping me waiting?”
Great. Promise took a deep breath. So much for first impressions.
“Lieutenant?” Now Halvorsen sounded put-out.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’m not one for giving pat answers. As to your question, sir, experience has taught me the primary duty of a company CO is twofold: to protect her command and to accomplish her mission, sir.”
“True, and paraphrased from the