Starlight Gleaming Ch. 12

Grinning with relief, I nodded. "So it would appear." I took off my neckerchief and pressed the silk cloth into her wound. "Take it easy, Farm Girl."

Zinja grimaced, then gave a harsh laugh. "You are real good at distracting me. If I think about what you did to me this morning, it doesn't hurt so much."

Glancing up, I saw Orchid secure the pistol from Ixma. "Ixma! She's alive! I need your help here."

Ixma looked at me, and Orchid pushed at her. Emotions warred on her face as she approached. "Mama? Oh, gods. I--I don't know what to do, Lieutenant!"

"Kneel down here. Zinja? I'm going to lift your shoulder, to see if it went through or not. Okay, bullet is still inside. Ixma, press this into the wound to help minimize the blood loss. Good. Keep the pressure on it."

Ixma brushed away tears and focused on her task. "Okay. Am I doing it right?"

"Press harder." Zinja gritted her teeth, turning her gaze on me. "Lieutenant? Please, find Sisi." Then she glanced up at her daughter. "That's just fine, girl. Just fine."

Standing up, I moved to Commander Orchid.

She watched as Dopachek's body started to collapse in on itself. She looked at me, nodding. "This explains a lot. His sadism and his necrophilia. Of course, this could just be another co-opted disguise. Ugh! The possibility of there being two such depraved souls running around? What an unpleasant thought."

"Regardless, either there's just one left or he's gone now."

"That's right. Look for the positive." She grinned and kicked his corpse. It began to smell foul. "Whoever you were, you were one evil monster." Then she gave a short laugh. "Your Corporal, every time I meet her, she is growing a bigger pair. You'd best watch yourself, Kandikan. One of these days, she's going to grab you by the balls and twist until you do what she says."

I grinned back at her. "None of them have to twist very hard, Commander. I prefer them happy. On another note, I need to look for Sisi."

Just then, a half dozen Air Security barreled through the door.

"Stop! Right there!" the Commander snapped. Even without the uniform or the rank, they heard the authority in her voice and responded. "No one else comes in. Take those two wounded out, they are okay. If anyone else is wounded and they have valid ID, they can be transported to the Naval hospital. Not those in that corner! Attend to the children, yes, but the adults are enemy agents. If they are in uniform, they are under suspicion of aiding the enemy. Everyone in here needs to be verified. Now, gentlemen! And better if it were done yesterday!"

I went to the nearest conference room and scanned inside. Laid out on several chairs were six more children. They remained inert, but I could see the slow rise and fall of their chests. These were older, nearing their teens. Sisi was not among them.

Huddled in the corner, I spied an Air Service sergeant. There were small cuts on her face and neck. Glass was everywhere in the room. More of it crunched beneath my boots.

I scowled at her. "What was done to these children?"

"They--they're just knocked out is all. To make it easier for their transport."

I glared at her. On a table nearby was a vial and a syringe gun.

"They aren't hurt!" she insisted.

"Who ordered this?" I demanded.

"It was signed off by Imperial Security. I'm just helping with the paperwork!"

"Well, those orders just got countermanded," I told her. "Your new orders are to make sure these children stay alive and safe until they can be taken into protective custody."

"And you are?"

"Lieutenant Kandikan. 945th, Security Oversight."

I turned to leave. Where was Sisi? Oh, gods, I suddenly thought. I hoped she wasn't in the back of the van out front!

There was a gunshot in the room I had just left, and I whipped my head around. Commander Orchid lowered her weapon, scowling at the now standing Air Service sergeant, who clutched her bleeding wrist. At her feet was a combat knife. Orchid ordered Air Security into the conference room. "Take that one into custody. There should be a prison transport waiting outside by now."

Two Air Security moved past me as I returned to the Commander.

"Did you find the girl?" she asked.

"No." I shook my head. "She asked who I was, so I told her my name. I turned, and if not for you, I'd be dead or seriously hurt. Thank you."

"I like you, Lieutenant. I try to take care of my friends."

"What's going to happen to the kids?"

"Still working to figure out what's going to happen to the people we rescued on the beach this morning," she admitted, frowning. "Bernim is trying to find a solution. We can add these children to the batch."

"Let me call my parents again. There's a small town near where I live. It may stretch things, but I think everyone could quietly disappear there without too much trouble."

"Indeed?" She raised her eyebrows, but nodded. "After we're done here, you make your call. If it's a go, then I'll give Bernim a ring and let's see what we can work out. Your sergeant is refusing to leave without Sisi. She's losing a lot of blood. See if you can talk some sense into her. Then we need to finish with the van outside."

"Yes, sir." I could see Medicos with a gurney by the door.

Zinja stood by the door, leaning on Ixma. "Where is she, Lieutenant? Where's Sisi?"

"I'm still looking for her. She's just not here. Zinja, get on that gurney and go to the hospital! That's an order, Second Sergeant. Trust me. I'm not giving up until I find her. Ixma, go with your mother."

She shook her head. "Stay with the Lieutenant, Ixma. If he finds her, I need you to take care of that little girl for me."

I scowled at Zinja. "Fine! Ixma can stay. But you move your ass and get in that ambulance, or by the time your officer and I get through with you, you will have so many orifices, you won't know which one to shit out of."

As they laid her down and strapped her down, she gave me a look of pained amusement. "That's a good one, sir. I'll have to remember that." Then the Medicos hustled her off.

My phone rang, and since Commander Orchid still had it, she answered it. "Yes? Ah, Commander Barankoshto. You did? And a second one? Yes, bring that back as well. At the moment, we're at the Dependent's Office." She began walking toward Ixma and me. "A child belonging to someone in the Air Service was kidnaped. The rest of the children will need to be checked and have someone assigned to watch them until we figure out where they are to go, but once they are cleared as healthy and awake, they should be watched and taken to where the other civilians are being housed. Yes, Commander. Thank you. I'll see you when you get here."

She handed me back my phone. "They caught one van with children in it at the main gate. They are bringing it back here. A second one made it through the Main Gate before the orders came through. The Commander has put a lock down on the other two checkpoints. It might take a while, but we know it did not make it to Seven Nations. Looks like we intercepted all of them. That last van, though, might take a while before it returns."

Four other gurneys were quickly loaded up and hurried out the doors. Almost a dozen others were being treated by a handful of Medicos. Some of them were injured civilians and their children.

Four Air Security with carbines took up station at the door.

Commander Orchid looked at me, handing me the Talon she'd taken from Ixma. I holstered my Chon. "Let's go take care of that van outside," she said.

I followed, Ixma on my heels. The Guard sergeant brought up the rear.

Once outside, we immediately saw that the back of the van was open, and another pile of foul sludge lay on the street. Blood dripped out from the cargo bed, onto the asphalt. Doyya stood beside the Guard private. Blood spattered both of their uniforms. A dozen Air Security vehicles were nearby, lights flashing, and at a discreet distance, armed Security milled about. Some watched, some talked about what was happening, a few actually worked at redirecting traffic.

Commander Orchid instructed the Guard sergeant to give the all clear to the troops on the rooftops. A morgue worker went to the back of the van and grabbed a body bag. Too small to be an adult.

"Hold on there," the commander ordered.

The morgue worker paused, glancing at me. Despite the practiced authority in the voice, she did not wear any rank.

"Do whatever she tells you to do," I told him. "She outranks me."

The worker laid the body onto the ground.

The commander, hands on her hips, glared at my Second. "Lieutenant Lovyanchiti, you were the ranking officer here. Did I or did I not say those doors were to remain closed?"

Doyya nodded. "Yes, sir, you did so order."

"Explain to me, then, why you disobeyed me!"

"The situation changed, sir. As you and the Lieutenant went inside, the alien started laughing. Then blood began dripping out the back. I realized there must be others in there with him and he was killing them. So I ordered the doors opened."

The commander looked at the Guard beside Doyya. "It was just as the Lieutenant said," he confirmed.

The commander turned back to Doyya, her voice quieter. "All right. Then what happened?"

"Once the door was open, he dropped the child he'd just murdered and tried to make a run for it. I got four rounds into him before he was outside. Clipped the Air Security guy hard. He's on his way to the hospital, concussion and broken arm. The Guard snipers on the rooftop opened up, but it was clear that they weren't doing much damage because of his personal shield. I got a few more rounds into him and the Guard here hit him with his sword. The draconian went down at that point. We checked the cargo bay, and found three survivors. He had killed four of them." Doyya looked from the commander to me. "They were children. All of them. Not a one older than six, tops. In cages! What were they planning on doing with them?"

"Eat them, Lieutenant. They bought them as food."

Doyya stared at her in horror. The Imperial Guard private beside her, too, looked briefly disconcerted before mastering his emotions. He looked again to the bloody cargo bed and his face hardened.

"I feel the same way," Commander Orchid told her quietly. "That is why what we do is so important. And, based on what transpired, you read the situation appropriately and acted correctly, thereby saving three lives. Where are they now?"

"Over there, on the grass, in front of the Dependent's Office." Doyya pointed numbly. "There's a guard from Air Security keeping watch over them."

The Imperial Guard added in, "They must be drugged, Commander. They're alive, but they haven't made a peep since we pulled them out."

The commander turned to me. "Lieutenant Kandikan, you probably better check them. See if the girl Sisi is among them."

I started to move, then checked to see if Ixma was following. She stared at the body bag on the ground. Sighing, I checked on the living children without her. They were all boys. I told the guard keeping watch on them that Ground Service would be there soon to treat and take care of them.

When I returned, the commander stood off, talking to an Imperial Guard officer and three officers from Air Security. I went to the body bag on the ground, knelt and opened it up, peeling back the plastic. I heard Ixma gasp behind me. A girl, but she was a couple of years older than Sisi. Waves of sadness welled up at such a pitiful sight, but by dint of will, I forced myself to focus. At least they had died while drugged.

I needed to find that little girl.

No, I reminded myself. I needed to find my new daughter, Sisi.

Standing, I looked at the morgue worker. "Show me the others."

One by one, I examined them. It was the most difficult act I have ever had to do. Thankfully, Sisi was not among them.

"You've identified them?" I asked him, as he put the last body into the hearse.

"Yes, sir."

"Have them cremated."

"That's expensive, sir. Someone has to sign for it."

"Bring the forms up on your tablet. I'll sign for them."

When I was done, I walked over to Doyya. "Good job, Lieutenant. I'm proud of you."

Ixma looked ready to fall apart. I held out one arm, and she immediately closed the distance, burying her face into my chest. "They eat our babies?" she sobbed. "I hate those fuckers! Hate 'em!"

Doyya looked at her, then to me. I could see she was barely hanging in there. "Me, too," she echoed quietly. "Hate them through and through."

I explained to them both that the ashes for Sisi's family would be coming in the next couple of days. "I've laid claim to these four as well. Seemed fitting they be buried together."

Ixma looked up at me, calming down. "Thank you, sir. It helps, knowing that they have family to claim them now." She wiped her nose on her sleeve.

Up the street, a convoy approached. A large van, escorted by four half-track ChoCacs, followed by a Tortoise transport. Vehicles moved aside and the convoy surged forward.

The Tortoise came to a stop in the middle of the street and the back end opened up. A score of Ground Service emptied out. Most of them wearing the dark green sleeves of Ground Service Medicos. One group collected the drugged children from the grass.

The lead ChoCac came to a stop by us. I recognized the woman standing in the bubble turret beside the gunner. Field Commander Barankoshto.

Grinning from ear to ear, she saluted Commander Orchid and announced, "I have the first vehicle secured, Commander. And, I'm told these two belong to you." A Ground Service sergeant got out and opened the rear passenger door.

"Sisi!" Ixma yelled as the little girl got out. Running up, she scooped Sisi into her arms and hugged her tight, laughing in relief. Then she saw the other little girl perched on the seat.

"Hi, Ixma! That's Mina. She's my friend. She was scared and all alone. I told her Zinja and 'Tenant would find us and take care of us."

Squatting back down, Ixma set Sisi onto her feet and held out her hand to the shy girl, urging her to come closer. "Come here, Mina."

Both Commanders watched our interplay. I walked up and squatted next to Ixma.

"Hi, 'Tenant! This is Mina. She's my friend. Is she alone now, like me? 'Cause she's my friend and I don't want her to be a-scared or alone."

I stood up. "Doyya? Go find one of those people in the Dependent's Office. Make sure they bring their paperwork. Let's get the claims going."

"Sir!" And she was off.

Mina held Sisi's hand, still holding back a bit from Ixma and me.

Ground Service soldiers and Medicos began bringing out the unconscious children from the Dependent's Office, checking them over.

Orchid asked quietly, "The other children aren't still in the van, are they?"

Barankoshto looked aghast. "Please, Commander! Give me some credit. They are on their way to the hospital to be checked out. The drivers are cuffed and in the back of the van. Just tell us where you want them."

"Take them to the temple. They are expected. The same for the drivers of the other vehicle."

Barankoshto nodded and walked over the van and gave the orders. The other vehicles began moving again. As they passed, the hearse entered the street and drove off behind them.

"The Xipe Toltec priests?" I asked her quietly.

She nodded. "If I could, I'd lock those crazy priests up and throw away the damn key, but in this case, they serve a useful purpose. I despise those who traffic in children."

A Medico sergeant walked over to Commander Barankoshto and saluted. "Including these two, sixteen accounted for, Commander. All appear to be drugged, but are showing signs of recovering just fine."

"Thank you. Continue as instructed."

He saluted again and went back to his duty. The line of children were carried gently into the back of the Tortoise. Once the back doors were closed, it started up, then passed us as it headed down the street.

"What stinks?" Sisi exclaimed, wrinkling her nose.

"Just garbage," Commander Orchid answered.

"Garbage supposed to go in the trash!" she announced.

"Yes, it is, Sisi," Orchid agreed. "Yes, it is."

* * * * *

Sisi seemed attached to her new friend. Checking on her, and if they weren't holding hands, Sisi was touching her. With that in mind, I filled out the paperwork and laid claim on both of them. Two girls were probably going to be four times the work of one child, but I thought if Sisi helped care for Mina, it would help Sisi, herself, transition better, easing the loss of her own family by focusing on her new one.

Ixma readily latched onto both girls, keeping them close.

Commander Orchid ordered the Guard sergeant to get checked out by the Ground Service Medicos. The body-weave armor had saved his life. However, from the bruising and his tenderness, the Medicos suggested that he be X-rayed to make sure the impact hadn't cracked a rib or two. She ordered the sergeant to get checked at the Naval hospital, then thanked him for his assistance.

"No, Commander Orchid, thank you," he replied. "A chance to do something like this is why I joined up."

He was more impressed when Orchid reached out and shook his hand, telling him quietly, "Thank you."

Orchid drove Janetta's HueCac, the Guard private riding in the passenger seat. Doyya followed in her own vehicle. Ixma and the two girls climbed into the back seat of my ChoCac.

We returned to the Commissary.

While there, we bought several changes of clothes for both girls, lunch, two stuffed rabbits -- one for each girl -- and safety-seats for the girls to ride in. I surprised myself by remembering to order four sandwich wraps and two bottles of Blue Label metl juice for Janetta; one for the house, on her return, and one for the visit tonight.

Then I bought Doyya a beer, called my mother, and spent the next twenty minutes explaining about the families needing a place to go. My mother generously said she would see to their settlement herself. I promised to call back later, to discuss things in more detail. When I hung up, Orchid nodded in gratitude. I passed her my phone and she called Itznacoco.

Realizing the state of our uniforms at the same time, Doyya and I bought new ones, and we changed in the latrines. When she came out, I was surprised to see her old ones neatly folded. At my look, she said, "I'm going to hang them up in my closet, a reminder of my second day on the job."

I laughed. And, since I was there at the Commissary, I bought a six-pack box of condoms for later.

Afterward, our caravan headed home to West Seashell Lane.

Once inside, Ixma took the girls to the bathroom for a shower, with Doyya lending a hand. Mina, tired and afraid from all the changes and strangers, started to panic, so it was good there was a second adult present.

While they were occupied, I called Sergeant Chita, inquiring how things were going. She informed me there were a lot of people looking for answers that she didn't have. I told her to have Sergeant Matiwatli grab a couple of people, and to have him be in charge of doing the inventory on the Emergency Shelter. The other staff needed to schedule weapons training time to learn how to use and shoot their Beltan 110 stunners.

"Once you have those duties assigned," I told her, "take the time to look at the files I sent you on our Unit duties and structure. Then read my memo on the training. If you get through that, familiarize yourself with everyone's skill set. Lieutenant Lovyanchiti and I hope to be by there later this afternoon."

Sergeant Chita, having some direction, sounded much happier when she hung up.

I turned to check on the Commander. She had settled on the couch and was currently engaged in a deep sleep. To my mind, it was a well-deserved rest.

Pulling out the half-empty clips, I set them onto the breakfast bar. I laid out the Talon and Chon beside them.