Page 7 of Duty and Desire
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I will send the medics and approve evacuation for one.”
“Two, General.”
“Two?”
“Yes, General. Private Lee should also return to base quickly, on account of no longer having full cold-weather protective layers.”
A cold silence sat between them.
"Very well. Evacuation for two.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“Don’t thank me yet, Captain. You and the rest of your squadron will be returning as planned, storm or no.”
With that, the line went dead.
As they piled in base, exhausted and frozen, Scarlett saw the general standing blank-faced awaiting their arrival.
“The privates?” Scarlett asked.
“In med bay,” she replied shortly. “Good work, soldiers. Go rest. Any intelligence you have collected can be passed on to your captain in the morning.”
“Yes, General,” the soldiers said as they moved to their bunks.
“Not you, Captain. You’re needed for debrief.”
Scarlett closed her eyes; her first mission, and she’d pissed off the general. Lieutenant West met her eyes pityingly before he left. She was in for a dressing down then. At least the general was feeling kind enough to do it in private.
Best get this over with.
She dragged herself through the door and followed Carson’s retreating form down the corridor and into what Scarlett presumed were her quarters.
She mustn’t be too mad, then, if this chat is happening in her private rooms.
The door was shut when Scarlett reached it. She rapped her knuckles against its hard surface, her heart pounding.
“Enter.”
Scarlett pushed open the door, striding in with a mix of determination and apprehension. General Carson looked up from her desk, her exhaustion evident, and gestured curtly toward the worn couch.
“Sit down, Captain. If you stand there, I’ll strain my neck trying to look up at you.”
“Yes, General. Thank you,” Scarlett replied, lowering herself onto the couch, trying to mask her discomfort.
Carson’s gaze was unwavering, and there was a hard edge to her voice. “So, youcanfollow orders after all. I wasn’t sure.”
Scarlett flinched, the jab stinging more than she expected. “General, I?—”
“Let’s get one thing straight,” Carson cut in sharply, leaning forward. “You did well leading your team underthe circumstances. Your efforts were impressive, and you managed to get everyone back safely. That’s a commendable achievement.”
“Thank you, General,” Scarlett responded, though her tone was defensive.
Carson’s expression hardened. “But let’s not gloss over the facts. You knowingly put your squad in extreme danger. You knew the storm was coming. What if it had hit earlier? What if the vehicles failed? You could have left several people to die in that storm. What if Private— whatever his name is- what if he had succumbed to the cold?”
Scarlett stood abruptly, her voice rising. “I understood the risks, General, but I couldn’t just abandon him. He’s young. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try to save him.”