Starlight Gleaming Ch. 18

I bolted upright. Someone tried to kill Itznacoco? Holy gods!

"They went to some top level meeting at a secluded high-security facility, located somewhere between Tikún and Tohingo. Rumor is that one of the attendees at said secret meeting was the Air Marshal. They don't normally allow cell phones on site because they can be tracked, but apparently nobody checked her, so Doyya managed to keep hers. Herrato's brother, Cheeltong, leading three platoons of heavily armored men attacked the site. The military frequencies were blocked, but her phone made a civilian connection. She called Styen Topangiti, and he called your brother. It was a close thing. They were under siege for half a day, but with air support from Copán, your brother and his troops arrived and saved the day. I also hear Doyya's a decent shot. Word is she took out several of the insurgents with her pistol. Your aide rendered medical assistance to the wounded under fire."

"Well, that does give me a few answers," I said, marveling at the news. "Good for them both."

I remembered Bilan chewing me out for not telling him everything about how I'd escaped from the pair of helicopters trying to kill me. Seems he was guilty of the same thing. He was going an email from me!

"That's not quite all, Commander," Pen continued. "There were still two brothers unaccounted for. Five vehicles full of armed men were headed south to meet up with the hit team that tried to take you out. After leaving two of his platoons behind to hold until forces from Copán arrived, your brother and his Raptor gunships continued on north, met the two remaining brothers, and abruptly ended their journey."

Jay grinned. "I saw the combat video. Ten thousand rounds of fifty caliber and a dozen Peregrine rockets. Not much to pick up afterwards."

Pen nodded. "The Raptors had just refueled at Mohingo War Base for their return trip when your brother was redirected to rescue you."

Leaning back in my seat, I digested what they'd told me. It was so like Bilan not to say anything. I think then I realized I had two gifts. One, I was incredibly lucky - with events that often could have gone sideways and hadn't, and picking and surrounding myself with these amazing people. Like these two men who argued that I needed to be kept safe.

Seems I needed to have private chats with Doyya and my brother. Sowitwee, too. My list was getting longer rather quickly. I held up my hand. "Okay, okay. Point made. I'm a popular target."

"That's only one side of it," Jay said. "You have quite a loyal following, Commander."

"I'm just doing my job, the best way I know how."

Pen took a drink. "What I'm telling you is there are a lot of people here who would be willing to take a bullet to protect you from harm. Both of us included. You inspire that kind of loyalty. More important, you earn that loyalty. That wall of the dead in the Break Room. The memorial plaque you had set up by the Rec Hall, honoring the seven murdered women -"

"The Unit Protection Order," Jay added. "The Bus Program."

Nodding, Pen continued. "What you did for Lieutenant Hanti. Everyone on this war base knows who you are, if not by face then at least by name. You are making a difference, and it's getting noticed. The members of our regiment arrive at work eager to do their jobs and proud to wear their uniform. Every day, people come and go from High Guard by way of the Condors. Word is spreading to other war bases."

"I make plenty of mistakes. I'm here to serve the Empire the best way I know how -"

Jay leaned forward eagerly. "Exactly, sir. Our people respond to strong, charismatic heroes. Things are good here at High Guard, and they associate all the good things here with you. Your name is becoming known. You may be relatively safe, but there's people coming and going all the time. Strangers who oppose what you are doing and what you represent."

Waiting a half-second, I resumed. "Everyone in the regiment is important to carrying out our assigned tasks. The safety of our war base depends on it. Hopefully, things around here should settle down. The graft is gone. The child trafficking is shut down. Some of the last holdouts that escaped Commander Orchid's housecleaning have been removed. The only fly in the ointment is Charunt."

Both their faces darkened at mention of his name.

"We will find him," Jay vowed. "And I will end him. He's too damn dangerous to try and interrogate."

"Seconded," Pen agreed with a scowl.

I waved my hand at them, conceding defeat. "All right, you two work out this guard unit with Doyya and I'll sign off on whatever you three decide. Janetta has given her personal approval of Mack. If there are any other women in this unit, it would be good for Janetta to meet them first."

Both of them had the bad grace to snicker at me for that. Fortunately, we had a lot more work to do, like training, schedules, and a lot of minutia as well.

Jay suddenly yawned. It was nearly noon, hours past his end of shift, and I told him to go home. He nodded and left.

When Chita arrived for our daily meeting, she brought me up to date on some of her projects. Then I gave her another one. I asked her to assign someone to make sure the women returning to the 602 and the abandoned wives had the supplies they needed, but also to get a list of their wants, things that would make it easier for them to serve while taking care of their little ones. She quietly listened to me talk, sometimes jotting on her tablet.

"I appreciate you what you have done, Chita, like arranging for the building upgrades to handle the needs of several single mothers living together. I guess, too, on general principle, a thank you for your loyalty and hard work."

She winked at me. "You've already rewarded me with rank. Besides, llam nuqan, Commander. Do you need anything else, sir?"

I laughed. "Sergeant, I really do appreciate you putting up with me. I depend on you to help keep the lights on. No, that's all for now."

"In that case, I'd like to introduce your new administrative assistant, Commander." Poking her head out the door, she called out, "Hanami, step in here, please. Commander, this is Third Sergeant Hanami Running Fox. She will help filter your phone calls, mail, and help you deal with your ever-growing pile of papers so that you aren't buried by it all."

I glanced at the stacks on the corner of my desk, and the two others that had arrived during the two days I was away.

Chita nodded at me. "I leave you to it, Commander."

Between my new assistant, Hanami, and myself, the piles were sorted by priority, and some headway was achieved.

Just before lunchtime, I left with my four new guards in tow. I drove over to the Commissary and picked up lunch to go - Hanami called it in for me - then we drove to the school. After fifteen minutes of searching, I located my daughters and Calia and I had lunch with them. We had a good visit, and two of the guards went home with Calia and my girls.

The rest of the day was more necessary but deadly-dull paperwork.

* * * * *

Part 12 - Family Time

* * * * *

Days went by as all of us settled into our routines.

Janetta and her crew did their flights, the girls went to school and made friends, and I spent ten to twelve hours a day at work. A few times I managed to have lunch with my daughters, but more often I ended up having an hour nap on my couch in my office. Sergeant Hanami kept me from oversleeping, and she made sure I had fresh cahault and something to eat after I woke up before tackling the next batch of urgent paperwork.

Status meetings under General Rikoletsi were less onerous and less frequent, and while sometimes I had to attend myself, my XO, Senior Lieutenant Hachan, was able to take much of the load off me.

Training of the field troopers proceeded apace. Pen and Jay were right. All in all, the mood within the regiment was efficient, and if not happy, at least enthusiastic. I noticed, too, that sometimes people waved at Air Security. We were no longer feared, and when there was trouble, we were a welcome sight. It made me feel good.

My long days meant I got face time with each of my shift commanders, and I made sure to spend time with my Support and CID officers as well.

During those many days, eight officers fresh from Tikún War College arrived, transferring into the regiment. I reviewed their files with Jay and Hachan, and we interviewed them together. Based on their input, I made Lieutenant Garnet Valoon the CO for Company D, the CID unit. A company commander was either senior lieutenant or captain, so I made her Senior Lieutenant with the billet. The others went to fill field trooper platoon CO slots.

I also clarified in writing the chain of command. Doyya was my Second, followed by Jay, and then Pen. If all four of us were incapacitated, it would then fall to Haychan as XO, to Valoon as head of CID, and Sinocaya in Support Specialty in order of precedence.

High Guard was no longer a place to "make money." More so, the Unit Protection Policy was regularly talked about among the lower ranks, and just as Jay and Pen said, it was spreading to other war bases. Two-thirds of new applicants to the 602 from other parts of the Empire were women, some of them with years of experience. Our regiment's numbers soon filled out.

On a personal side, it was a week later that Sisi and I took Mack and Tambo to the Naval hospital. While Sisi colored in a book and I worked from my tablet, we kept an anxious mother company while we waited for the little guy. Four hours later, he returned to his mother's care, his cancer eradicated. Money is important for what it can do. The look of joy on Mack's face when her sleeping, healthy son was returned to her arms was priceless. As precious in a different way was the look of gleeful pride on my daughter's face that her Tenant made that happen. I made sure to let Sisi know that her magic hugs had helped just as much in helping Tambo and Mack.

The women in Mack's shared home made use of the supplies and worked out amongst themselves child-care schedules and whatnot. Provided with what they needed to take care of their families, each of them worked hard at their jobs, which is what I wanted. With Chita's diligence, we sorted out the other medical issues as well.

Despite Janetta's objections, I worked out with the Ground Service and Air Service medical commands for a jointly administered Nanotech Medical Facility. I transferred the funds into an escrow account, and with input from the General and his staff, an area was selected and construction began on the new building. General Rikoletsi ordered that medical units for both services work together to streamline health care. The doctors said they could be operational within sixty days. They were going to name it after me, but I told them I had someone else in mind, handing the general a copy of a personnel file. He reviewed my choice, and agreed.

* * * * *

Part 13 - Something Hinky

* * * * *

It was two weeks before the Air Marshal's inspection that I finally received a copy of the debt contract that tied Sowitwee and his father to Chantamoco Investments and Holdings.

On my day off, after lunch while my little girls were sleeping and everyone else was relaxing, I went upstairs and sat at my desk and looked it over.

Most of the language looked boiler plate, but I wasn't a barrister. Some of the accounting didn't look right, but if I paid it off, it would be done; Sowitwee and his father would be free.

What angered me, though, was they had doubled the interest rate on the contract within the last year. On a nearly sixteen thousand credit debt, father and son weren't even clearing the interest payments each month. Rather, they were falling deeper into debt by an average of over three hundred credits, capitalized monthly.

I noticed there was a late payment clause, allowing the company to increase the interest rate by one-quarter of a percent for each day the payment was late. It was common practice, but most reputable holding companies penalized once for the entire ten days grace period allowed by law. So not only were they getting further behind, the interest rate was also slowly growing. The military was exemplary about regular paychecks, and the Imperial auditors didn't tolerate any funny business. Sowitwee was a hard worker and he was always diligent about details. That sort of attention to detail was a must for someone working in the medical field.

Further, there an early payoff penalty. If I was reading it correctly, the payout end-date was recalculated every time the interest was not fully paid, and the early payment penalty was five thousand credits. An exorbitant sum.

The date when the change happened appeared familiar, and looking through my own notes, I recalled that was about the time that I'd paid off Nariya's debt. When I found the payment from my own account, I discovered the change was the exact day following Nariya being freed.

That made me curious. It took a couple of hours, but I learned that Chantamoco, through five other shell holdings, had indeed also owned Nariya's contract.

I had to wonder, Was someone out to get Sowitwee and his family? This couldn't be a coincidence.

Sighing, I tossed my pen onto my desk and sat back into my chair.

Just then, Janetta stood in the doorway. "Ranji, the girls are awake, so it's time to for family exercise."

She was in a green tee-shirt with a close-up of a jaguar hiding among jungle foliage, and wearing gold-colored slacks. Her thick, long black tresses in her jaguar hair clasp. And of course, wearing her combat boots with her knives. Even in casual wear, Janetta rarely failed to set my heart racing by her mere presence.

I suddenly grinned at her.

Janetta raised her eyebrows at me. "What?"

Getting up, I quickly closed the distance. "You are the most beautiful woman in the world, Janetta."

As my arms slid around her, she tilted her head up and we kissed slowly, tongues touching and exploring familiar yet somehow always new sensations.

"Do tell?" she husked.

"A fact for sure and for certain, my love." Tightening my embrace, feeling her breasts mash up against my chest, I kissed her again.

When our lips broke apart, her face was happy. Then she pushed me away. "Everyone's ready down in the gym. Let's go!"

She spun and headed down the hallway, with me walking behind her.

"You're watching my ass, aren't you, Kandikan."

"Just watching your backside, Captain. And to be sure, a most fascinating and lovely fixture it is."

"Men! Two heads but with only enough blood to operate one." I caught the smirk on her face. A joke among women as old as the ages, no doubt. And all too often true.

I told her, "Sometimes I think you like me better when the little one is in charge."

"It does make you easier to understand," she admitted with a snicker.

"Its motives can be very penetrating."

"Oh, yes, and very deep, I'm sure. Yeah, yeah, you have a cock and I have a pussy. I actually don't mind you looking at my goods, Kandikan. Sometimes I look at yours, too."

"Do tell."

Janetta paused at the dining room. "I've told you before that I like to fuck, Kandikan. Seeing your strong arms, your tight butt, and your erection gets my juices flowing. I find you rather handsome, too. While I enjoy your body and your cock, it's the Warrior that I love and admire. I put up with all your shit because you're worth it."

I laughed. "I love you, too."

With a sweep of her arms, she bowed slightly. "After you, Commander."

As I went by, she slapped my butt!

At my startled look, she grinned. "Turnabout is fair play, don't you think?"

"Be careful, Janetta. Keep it up and the other head is going to think you want to play." Mindful not to turn my back on her, I moved through the dining room and kitchen to the gym.

Which amused her greatly. Jaguars are, after all, ambush predators.

Because Sisi had asked when I was going to resume teaching her how to defend herself, it was decided that when I arrived home in the afternoons, we would work out together. This of course ended my longer liaisons with the women, but in a schedule that the women kept track of, one of them would help me clean up after exercising. Sometimes that meant a quickie with already sweaty bodies and sometimes it was shower sex.

The only one who didn't participate in the family exercises was Nariya. At eight months pregnant, she mostly sat and watched, doing some of the simpler, non-strenuous exercises while the rest of us sweated and worked. At my insistence, we included the new servants, Terra and Salvia. My reasoning was that while they might not have the courage to act, if they had the skills and were desperate enough, they might be able to save themselves. I also got to see them and they got to see me. I could see Janetta thought it unnecessary, but she didn't bring it up.

After stretches, we alternated strength and endurance exercises with katas and dancing.

Yes, dancing. I was pretty much an idiot at first, but because it was patterns like katas, I was able to pick it up. I had nowhere near the grace of the women, and watching them move and their hips roll and sway, and doing so in unison? Well, all that easily mesmerized me. The women and my girls had a great time and that made it worth it.

The workout session was fun as was the rest of the evening.

Before heading to bed, Sisi dozing in my arms, I told Sowitwee that I'd be home around lunchtime the next day, and that he should get out whatever information he had on his father's contract, including any proof of payments.

He looked worried. "Is there a problem, sir?"

"Let's say I have questions that I want to go over with you in more detail. There's nothing on your part that's concerning me, so you and Nariya rest easy tonight."

Nariya moved closer to her husband and his arm automatically went around her. "Thank you, Commander. Good night, sir."

After we tucked in the girls and I gave Cholan, Ixma, and Calia their own hugs and kisses, Janetta, Zinja, and I retired to the master bedroom. It was amazing how easily we slipped into a routine, getting undressed, going to the bathroom, brushing teeth and the like.

"Maybe we should move Zinja's dresser into here," I said. "You know, for convenience's sake."

Naked, Zinja was drawing down the blankets. She stopped, looking from me to her captain.

Also naked, Janetta was at her dresser, emptying out her pockets from her trousers. She gave me a weird look. "This is our room, Ranji. Zinja's room is across the hall."

"Zinja sleeps with us most nights. I just thought it would be convenient for her."

Tossing her empty trousers at the laundry hamper, she frowned at me. "With our two dressers, the huge bed, and our two desks, there's really not enough room for her dresser, too."

"We could move our desks to Zinja's room and move all her stuff in here," I countered. I noticed Zinja looking thoughtful at the suggestion.

"No, Ranji, that won't work at all." Janetta shook her head. She picked up her shirt, removing grade pins and patches. "The children use both their room and Zinja's room to play in. If we turn that room into an office, you cut down their play area. When Sisi wakes up, she can play in Zinja's room while Mina's still sleeping. Besides, Zinja's not here every night, and when she's sleeping with the children or in her own room, she can get to her things without disturbing us. Besides, it's no different than Calia. Most of her things are in the basement shelter, but she sleeps with Ixma and your girls."

I grinned at her, impressed by how much she knew about the household goings on.