Starlight Gleaming Ch. 16

The notes from my father were more technical. I read and finished three and replied to them, the messages waiting for the next wifi connection. And, they distracted me from further grief.

* * * * *

We arrived at Mohingo War Base in good time. After passing through the gates and through the sprawling Ground Service part of the base, we headed for the airfield.

At the terminal near where we parked was an Albatross. The rear door was open, and Bilan's men began loading gear from the Tortoise into the small transport. Several bags of mail going south were also loaded by a postal carrier. Most of us went inside the terminal to stretch our legs, use the facilities, and get something to snack on or drink.

The Air Security sergeant checking our orders noted the presence of Meeno, Eesa, and Keemo. Meeno produced his papers for himself and his family. Those were scanned in. I filled out the paperwork, noting their origin, and their new status as being pledged to my House. That took another twenty minutes. Still, it was good, because it made Meeno's position official. They were civilians, but could travel with me at a reduced cost. Such transportation was usually limited to servants and staff directly in ones household, but it could be stretched on occasion. Officers could have servants travel directly with them, as long as the number was five or under, and if there was space available. Active military had priority seating, of course.

Meeno and Eesa were both excited and terrified at the prospect of actually flying. Little Keemo took his cues from his mother, and began fussing. But once she started feeding him, he happily focused on what was important. I gave both parents reassurances, and they did their best to remain calm.

A few more soldiers from Bilan's command joined us, making our number twenty-four. I was pleased to note some of his people in his command were women.

An hour later, we were settled in and checked in by the cargo master. We taxied down the runway and were off, heading south to Tikún War Base.

Once we were in the air, the Ground Service troops unhooked their safety belts and relaxed. With some persuasion, I was able to convince Meeno and Eesa to look out the window. There was some amusement by the others, but they didn't tease them about it.

Meeno glimpsed once and then away, taking on an unhealthy pallor. Eesa, while initially intimidated, quickly relaxed, and as she held her son to her breast, marveling with growing wonder at how small the mountains and valleys looked, at the roads and forests, sometimes hidden by white, fluffy clouds below us. Meeno grew paler and paler at her words. When she realized this, she became quiet, yet continued watching the ground below with fascination.

Bilan busied himself with his own laptop, occasionally conversing with one of his sergeants.

Just over an hour later, we began our descent. The landing was gentle and easy, and in a short time, we taxied up to the terminal.

Here, we unloaded mail and any other packages. At the terminal, we took a meal break while the aircraft was being serviced and refueled. Part of me expected to be contacted by Itznacoco while I was there. But I heard nothing. And no email contacts either.

Bilan teased me about being rich enough to buy everyone onboard a meal, so I did. His men praised my generosity, which allowed them to buy more than their combat tickets allowed, including a few cases of millet beer. Bilan then was embarrassed, but I told him it was okay. "They helped save my life. It's fine."

Once the meal was over, we loaded back onto the aircraft. Ninety minutes later, we prepared for the remaining two hour flight to Sentry War Base, and its adjacent city, the resort seaport and research center of Tohingo.

With full stomachs, some dozed, but I just looked out the window, anxious to land and get closer to home. There was still a lot of unread emails to read, but my heart wasn't in it.

Around Copán, we headed southeast, soon taking the shortcut across the southwestern-most part of the Inland Sea. Eesa was amazed at all the water, and all the tiny ships out fishing.

Two hours later, we were landing at Sentry War Base. The reception was pleasantly normal, a change from my previous visit fifteen weeks earlier.

After we landed and were checked in by security, I asked Bilan, "Can we swing by the Commissary?"

He raised his eyebrows at me.

"I haven't been home in a long time. I want to get something extra for Janetta. I also want another Talon and holster. Maybe some more things for my girls-"

"No. Absolutely not, Ranji. The first two, okay. But your mother has already taken the girls shopping. They had to hire a separate vehicle to carry all things she bought for them! Captain Tlacotli had to speak up and discourage another trip just before I left, because neither Zinja and Ixma felt they could object because she is your mother. What helped was your Personal Servant backed up Captain Tlacotli. And even so, there were some hurt feelings over the matter. Talk to your women first before you buy more things for your children." He took a long breath. "What they want and need - your women and your children - is you, my brother. They will be overjoyed to see you again. You coming home safe and sound is your gift to them. We'll swing by the Commissary and let you get your things. Two hours, tops. I'll give my hooligans the same curfew. Then I'm going to haul you off, ready or not. And I will use my handcuffs if necessary to enforce the time limit."

"Noted."

We loaded bags, packs, and people into a Tortoise armored transport, and at Bilan's order, swung by the Commissary.

"Bilan?"

"Mmm?"

"What happened to my mother's servant, Muni, and that girl?"

"Aban? They both died. Beechan, too, I'm afraid. Your mother did not hold Muni's actions against her, insisting that she'd been brainwashed somehow. And, for all we know, that's likely true."

"How'd they die?" I asked.

"Poison capsules. Beechan, of course, was stabbed by the draconian, and died shortly after he was discovered. His discovery was by the merest chance. His blood had spilled out from under the door, into the hallway, leading to his discovery."

"Beechan was a good servant. He'd served my parents for many years. Muni, too."

"Your mother made sure all three were given proper burials," he said.

I nodded. "Thanks."

At the Commissary, many of the men unloaded and headed inside. A few stayed inside the Tortoise and kept watch or slept.

Once inside, I made my weapon purchases, and on impulse, also picked up a flight jacket for myself, and turning on my own phone, accessed Janetta's size. She'd lost her own jacket from Mohingo Air Academy. She probably had a replacement, but a second jacket couldn't hurt. Then I headed over to the liquor section. Two cases of Blue Label metl juice for Janetta. Four brand new comforters, both certified as pre-washed. And a safety seat.

At the checkout counter, I saw a catalog of third party vendors that could have goods purchased and shipped through the Commissary to anywhere in Tacana State. I slipped the catalog in with my purchases, then took the cart out to the Tortoise and loaded my stuff inside.

It was already half-past eighteen-hundred hours. We'd already spent the whole day traveling, and still had two hours to go. I was tired, but not physically. My experience in the wilds of Chuman State had given me more exercise than I was used to. And then I'd had days of very little activity - other than getting my head smacked around and three violent fights, all in the same day. I should eat, and I noticed others munching on food or treats they'd purchased. But I was too worked up, too anxious about getting back to bother with food.

Bilan showed up a short time later. Some gift-wrapped boxes, and two dozen mixed orchids. He looked askance at my stack of purchases. I raised my eyebrows at his own goods. Then we both burst out laughing.

As we got settled, I presented the safety seat to Meeno and Eesa. We settled Keemo into it, and secured him into place. Then I presented them one of the comforters. Eesa commented on how soft and warm it felt. They accepted it gratefully, but I also noticed they whispered quietly together.

The rest of the soldiers came back in good time with their own purchases, and we were soon on our way, heading southeast through Caibo Valley. The door to the driver section was open, and by the radio chatter, I picked up that we had an escort.

I asked Bilan about that.

"We are mobile infantry. Emphasis on mobile. We're short on vehicles as yet, and these will fill some empty slots. It's just four ChoCacs, but we're getting our unit back to full strength."

"What kind?"

"M-types on this run." Meaning they were all-wheel, anti-personnel vehicles, with the bubble-top gun turret containing a pair of fifty caliber belt-fed guns.

Bilan watched my bouncing knee. "That's new, isn't it? Are you nervous, Ranji? Don't be. You're going home to your parents. Your women and your girls are waiting for your return."

"It's been so long," I confessed. "I've been away from them as long as I've been with them. Except for Calia, of course."

He looked surprised. "You're actually worried about how they feel? Your captain sleeps in your bed every night. Calia and Ixma say prayers each night with your daughters asking the gods for your safe return." Then he narrowed his eyes in mock sternness. "My Rana likes you a great deal, Ranji. And maybe I should be jealous. She tells me she has two protectors - me and you. So when Rana saw them praying for you, she had my boys join in. Now it's a big deal. Everyone gathers in the drawing room. Your parents, too. Sisi begins and everyone else joins in. And I mean everyone."

I looked at him.

He nodded, then sighed. "Yeah. Me, too. Don't look so surprised. You are part of my family, Ranji. When all else fails, family prays for one another."

Then to distract me, he talked more about his two boys. And truthfully, I enjoyed it.

Our reverie was disturbed, though, by baby Keemo. The back of the Tortoise began to stink. Meeno and Eesa looked apologetic as she changed his diaper while veteran soldiers held their noses and made wretching noises amid vocal complaints. And truth be told, this incident was much worse than the earlier baby change on the way to Mohingo. Really worse.

Bilan laughed as he opened a vent to the outside. "Soldiers of the 716, will you listen to yourselves? Do you hear his mother complaining?"

More complaints echoed back.

"Are you telling me baby poop is all it takes to bring all of you to your knees?" he demanded.

More vents snapped open. "It's not fair, Lieutenant. That baby is using bio-warfare!"

Wrinkling his nose, medico sergeant Taygatchu got out of his seat and moved toward Eesa, holding out a sealable hazmat bag. Meeno passed it to his wife.

"Taygatchu and Tolandu, both of you have wives. When you have kids, you will have to deal with this."

"Not if I can ever help it, sir," Tolandu quipped. He came back, too, squatting next to Taygatchu.

"Changing your child's diaper is fit for fathers as well as mothers. I've done my share. You do it because your child needs it," Bilan admonished.

"Maybe we can keep the baby as a secret weapon," Tolandu offered sarcastically. "I think even the Atlanteans would be brought to their knees by the smell."

Eesa took a baby-wipe and cleaned her son's butt, tossing the soiled goods into the bag with the diaper. Just as she released his leg, though, a perfect stream of urine shot out, erupting out like a loose fire hose.

Too late, both of them jumped back. Tolandu got doused the worst.

She deftly caught the rest of the stream in another diaper. Though she tried to hide it, Bilan and I both noticed her amusement.

"I'd say Keemo has given his rebuttal, as it were," Bilan intoned grimly.

Several of us laughed. There were also some snickers from the front of the transport, at least until Taygatchu turned and glared.

Once the clean up was done and Keemo dressed again, Eesa opened her shirt to feed him. Keemo's little hand came up as his mouth latched on, suckling with gusto.

Bilan turned to me. "You know, Ranji, you might not have time to set Meeno and his family up with a farm. Your sealed orders might be urgent. I'm stationed here, now. Let me help him find a suitable place. We can send you photos of the land and the appraisals, and you can do the purchase electronically."

"That's awful decent of you, Bilan. Don't you have enough to do?"

"Yes, I do. Even so, I'm also getting to know the area around here. And this will help me with that."

I looked at the young farmer. "Your agreement is with me, Meeno. My brother is right. It may take some time for you to find a suitable place. Is this arrangement okay with you?"

I realized Meeno might not see an easy answer to my question. He had already sworn fealty to me, but he didn't know I valued honesty over subservience. Bilan and I were noblemen. If he voiced concern over the change, he might fear making my brother angry, and Bilan would be here while I would not.

"Meeno, you can trust my brother. He will protect you and your family as I would."

Eesa gave Meeno an ever-so-slight nod, and her husband relaxed. "We trust you, Lord Kandikan. We will trust your brother, Lord...?"

"Monaycote," Bilan supplied.

"Meeno, his House name is there, above his left breast pocket. Can you read Queshuan?"

Lowering his head, he said, "No, my lord."

"Can you read at all? Either of you?"

"I can read Huestican, my lord. Eesa is a woman. She has me."

I sighed. Meeno and Eesa seemed happy together, but this was a change he wasn't going to escape. "As your lord, I order you both to learn to read and write Queschuan. Bilan, see if you can find a tablet equipped with Huestican speech, and a Queschuan primer on it, one for each. And if they need it, some instruction on how to use the tablet. The land selected should have potable water, solar panels for electricity, and a telephone land-line. If piped water isn't available, I am willing to pay the expenses for a well. I will cover all the costs. You can use a telephone, Meeno?"

"Yes, my lord."

"The reading and writing is for you both. It's harder to cheat someone who can read. I value education and learning. The warriors in my command earn cash bonuses for completing extra training beyond what their jobs require. I have two daughters, and both of them are learning to read and write."

Eesa spoke up. "Truly, my lord?" She glanced at Meeno.

"Truly," I replied.

Bilan said, "His oldest girl, Sisi, studies with my boys. Mina's too young yet, but she can read her alphabet, and read her numbers up to ten."

I looked at Bilan, and he nodded. "She can count down from ten to zero, too."

While I absorbed his news, he turned back to Meeno and Eesa. "When we get there, I'll arrange to get you quarters to sleep in, and make arrangements for meals and access to laundry facilities. Sergeant Mirketsi!"

"Sir!"

"Who's our new computer expert?"

"Corporal Teekso, sir."

"Have Teekso check out available lands for sale near the Kandikan estate. Include soil reports and access to water. And I want you to put time in my schedule for Meeno and his family to accompany me to visit the available places in person. After our regular duty hours."

"Yes, sir, Lieutenant."

Bilan nodded to Meeno and me. "There. We'll have a place for you to live within a month, or we'll both know why." Then he stuck out his hand to Meeno. "Agreed?"

Cautiously smiling, Meeno shook hands with him. "Agreed, lord. Mmm, Lord Kandikan?"

"Yes?"

"Are the crops here different?"

"Probably."

"What do they grow here?"

"A lot of things. We just passed through Sopati, a town about partway between my parents home and Tohingo, the city where we landed. They grow rice along the wetlands, and quinoa on the drier plains. They have a harvest festival near summer's end, and crown a princess of tomatoes and princess of squash. We're a bit higher up, but quinoa, tomatoes, peanuts, beans, and squash should all grow fine. And chilies, of course. I think all of those are grown somewhere on the land owned by my parents. There's a huge variety of fruit trees. Cashews, papaya, and guava, to name a few. Hopefully the land you find will have something already in place, but if not, we'll work something out."

Meeno nodded thoughtfully. Then gave me a puzzled look. "Why, though? This will cost hundreds, maybe thousands of credits. Even if we are blessed by bountiful harvests, year after year, I am not sure you will recoup the money you spend. So, why?"

Eesa looked shocked, afraid he'd overstepped.

"A fair question," I replied. "The simplest answer is because I can. I know I'm taking a chance on you both. I have no doubt you are right. You won't be able to pay me back entirely. You were headed to Uiyatiwitz to look for work, not knowing that the other farmers are struggling. Instead, you found me. Accept it for what it is for you both. A chance for you to make a home and raise your family. Repay me by being good to each other. Make friends with your neighbors. I am your lord and you are my man, Meeno. Even after ten years, when the land is yours, I will still get my five percent due as your lord. I will do my best by you and believe you will do the same by me. And if anyone gives you trouble or there's a disaster, I or my family will do what we can to make things right. House Kandikan isn't overly rich or powerful, but we do okay. Does that explain things?"

"Yes, lord."

"I'll tell you both. I expect respect and fair dealings, not subservience. And I will do my best to respect you and deal fairly in return. I value honesty, even if it's unpleasant. If something's unclear or you need to talk, just ask me. Whether it's in person, by phone, or by email. Ask me, Meeno. Man to man. And if it's an emergency, call my brother."

Before Meeno could respond further, Bilan tapped me gently on the arm. "Don't talk like that when my men are nearby. You are not allowed to poach. I haven't had a chance to woo them to my ways yet."

Taygatchu snorted in laughter, joined by a few others.

"Listen to my disrespectful troops!" Bilan shook his head. "I'll have you know that when I left Barato in charge at Uiyatiwitz, I promoted him to Senior Sergeant."

Their amusement vanished.

"I thought that's how you'd react," Bilan said. He reached into his left breast pocket and took out patches. "Since I need to keep a closer eye on you, Taygatchu, give me your bars."

Stunned, he slowly pulled off his buck sergeant patches.

After taking them, Bilan dropped another set onto Taygatchu's hand. Three bars under two circles of a Second Sergeant. Advanced two full grades.

"Go on," Bilan urged. "Put them on. Taygatchu, in eight days you rotate to Paxilman for three months of additional medico training. One of their staff will cover your duties for us in the interim."

"I thought you liked me, Lieutenant."

"Why do you say that?" Bilan asked. "I made sure you got day shift at Paxilman. Think of it. Evenings free on the warm beaches of Tohingo with all those nubile young women in swim-wear got you down?"

"What about my boy, Lieutenant?"

"Your boy can stay with us. They already know and like each other."

"Yes, sir."

At that moment, I understood his reluctance.

"Gods of North and South, Taygatchu. It's only two hours each way. I already have a HueCac reserved out for your use during your training. You can come back on weekends."

He brightened immediately. "Thanks, El-Tee."

Bilan turned to me. "Did you have that much trouble with your people?"