Starlight Gleaming Ch. 18

"In the meantime, I'm not taking any chances. Lieutenant Fortri - you don't go outside this building without a pair of armed shadows at all times, you hear? Twenty-four seven. Same for Lieutenant Raltikon as well. Even if he's not coming here for a week yet, he gets guards, today. You are to be armed, even when off duty.

"I also want a pair of troopers patrolling exclusively down at the aerodromes. I will call Flight Operations and make them aware. I also want those safety troopers selected and down at the school. Captain Lovyanchiti and Sergeant Chita, this fugitive knows who you are and that you're both important to me. You are also to be armed at all times, and you do not go anywhere alone. Until this maniac is found, I want everyone to be careful. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir," they echoed.

"Pen, do you think I'm over-reacting?"

"No, sir. Charunt is a sociopath. He is capable of casual cruelty that most people would be shocked to contemplate, much less attempt. We need to implement the same rules and cautions as Ground Security."

"So ordered. Make it happen, Pen. Tonca hurt some of you, and he was a brute, a savage. Trust me, Charunt is much worse. He is at least cunning if not intelligent. He is a violent sadist. Charunt might casually bump into someone and walk away before those around realize the person he bumped into was fatally stabbed."

"Sowitwee, close the door, please." It was Doyya. "Commander, do you trust everyone in this room?"

I looked around. Doyya was my Second. Yalcamara and Stimmi. Chita. Sowitwee. Then there was Pen, who like me, survived Sparantzlo, the Seventh Hell.

Nodding, I said, "Yes, I do. Every one of you, with my life."

Several pleased smiles at my praise.

"Then tell us how you and Pen met this Charunt," Doyya demanded. "We need to know about him. The more we know, the better Air Security can deal with him."

Pen raised his eyebrows as he looked at me.

"You have a point, Captain. However, at this time, it will have to be the edited version. When I left last summer, it was supposed to be for a training mission. On my way there, I stopped off at my parents because there was word of a pending assassination attempt targeted at my father. With the aid of Styen Topangiti and my brother Bilan, we saved my father, but my mother was critically wounded. I flew her to Sentry War Base for treatment, but was detained for seven hours because someone had tampered with my service record, deleting important information."

I sighed. "Then Commander Herroto Chaltoklan showed up and I was suddenly free to go. I was to fly to my training site, using a P-15 Albatross. I did so. And was shot down in the middle of a snow storm, high in the mountains. I nearly died. Lieutenant Deedee Marrin rescued me. I was badly frostbitten and injured from the exploding aircraft. It took us three days to climb out of the ravine. When we arrived at our training site, all of us were tortured for nearly three weeks. Each of us suffered such major trauma to our bodies that it required regular use of nano-technology to repair our bodies. Two or three days of utter agony, then a day or two in the tanks, depending on how badly damaged we were. I... I'm not afraid to say that I cried, screamed, and even wept like a baby. Tied down, all I could do was take it. Clubs and bullet ants were used. Knives, however, were a favorite. Sometimes I was beaten or cut up so badly I lay in my blood, urine, and feces, too broken in body to even move, sobbing because at least they had stopped hurting me. Pen and Jay endured the same hell I did. I don't know about them, but three men were responsible for my own torture. Captain Stryker, Corporal Belton, and Second Sergeant Charunt. Just before we finished our training, Stryker and Belton tried to murder me and five other men. Jay shot Belton, but was then shot by Stryker. Then Stryker shot and killed Deedee, but not before she killed him in return. Charunt somehow escaped and came here."

I stared at the wall, half-listening, yet at the same time lost in the memories.

Perplexed, Doyya scrunched up her face. "To what purpose, Commander? Why did they torture all of you?"

"To break us," Pen answered quietly. "They asked us questions they already knew the answers to. They weren't interested in the answers. But they hammered at our memories and perceptions. They asked who in our previous deployment we had sex with. If so, how many times? If not, why not? They also wanted to know about our families. Inferring we had sex with our parent and siblings. If we denied such, they wanted to what was wrong with us for not taking the women. Sick, twisted questions. Day after day, they wore us down. Broke us into little pieces. The only thing that mattered was answering, because then they didn't inflict pain. All of it was geared toward making us into monsters like them. People so battered and broken down we would do anything they said to please them in order to avoid being hurt like that ever again."

Pen gave a ragged sigh, and at a nod from me, he continued.

"There were twenty-seven in our initial training cohort. Three women survived the torture. Deedee, Prina, and Bacholet, and seventeen men. Think on that. They killed seven of us by torture before we ever saw them. Anyway, we were finally released, allowed to rest and eat, then ordered into a room. Everyone was ordered to strip naked. Except Stryker, Belton, and Charunt."

Pen looked embarrassed about the next part, but he kept on going. "It was Stryker's plan that the men fight for the women. The winner got to keep her as their personal sex slave. The remaining men were to be paired as well, and like with the women, the loser became the sex slave to the winner of the personal combat. We were told that the losers would be inspected daily for sperm, and anyone found delinquent in ejaculating inside their slave would be punished. After the fighting, the plan was we would take turns raping the women, and we would gang rape them weekly."

The women were clearly uncomfortable, but they kept quiet while Pen talked.

Pen gave me a grim smile. "That was the plan, anyway. What Stryker and the others didn't count on was Ranji Kandikan. Four men tried to claim Deedee from him. Ranji beat three of them with hardly any effort at all. Each fight was over in under twenty seconds. Jay was to be the last one to fight. However, instead of fighting, he surrendered. Ranji accepted his service under the accepted rules for dueling between Warriors.

"Enraged, Stryker tried to shoot Jay but Ranji blocked it. Saved his life. When Ranji challenged him to a fight over it, Stryker turned tail and ran. Ranji then tried to do the whole honor thing, allowing the others to challenge him for leadership, but Deedee and Jay didn't let him. With a nudge from Jay, I joined in. We said that anyone who challenged Ranji had to go through us first. Since he was the highest rank, Ranji took command of us. He ordered us to get dressed while he talked. I hadn't realized it, but I had been lost. All of us were. Lost emotionally and psychologically.

"Ranji reminded us that all of us were noble-born, that we were officers in the service of the Empire. He had us sing the first verse for each of the service branches, and the Imperial anthem. Then, together, we recited our oath of fealty to the Emperor and our respective service. He also instituted his Protection Order. By the time Stryker returned to challenge the situation, all of us were Warriors again, and we belonged to Ranji Kandikan. Jay and I are here, ready to serve him because he literally saved us, and our honor. Llam nuqam, Commander."

"Llam nuqam, Pen." I snorted, then shook my head. "I know this is going to get out."

There were immediate protests, but I waved them down. "That's not what I'm worried about. I'm human. I make plenty of mistakes."

"Charunt threatened your family, Commander," Doyya persisted. "He threatened to rape, torture, and murder them, didn't he."

I nodded. "Each of the women who live with me. Even my little girls."

Sowitwee spoke up then. "I wanted to shoot him because he threatened you and your family. But you told me that even you needed to follow the rules. I didn't understand at first, but now I do. You are a wise man, Commander. An honorable officer. With you, everyone gets a fair and equal chance. You care about us, officer and enlisted alike. We aren't objects to you. The others in the regiment? They will likely learn of your harrowing experience. You promised those who remained that they would work hard, but that you would also restore the regiment's honor. You will do it, too, I have no doubt. They will come to love you like we do."

Janetta had warned me, saying I'd bound Sowitwee to me in chains stronger than steel.

"Thank you, Wit. I hope I am worthy of such loyalty."

"Do you need reminding, Commander?" Sowitwee asked. "Lieutenant Fortri, Commander Orchid herself was here at High Guard last year. She rescued Nariya and spared my life. She gave me to the commander, to serve him as his aide. What was the first thing you did, sir? You gave me time to be with her while she was in the hospital. I was penniless, and you gave me money to live on. You paid to heal her, erasing the terrible scars inflicted on her by her kidnappers, and you gave her back her voice. Then you paid off her indenture, freeing her. I can never repay any of that."

Before I could say anything, Chita spoke up. "The first time I met you, you sent the captain and lieutenant with me in an effort to save any women officers, when the birth control drugs across most of the war base had been tampered with."

"I heard that it was bad here," Pen observed.

The others nodded their heads. "People were afraid," Doyya replied. "Graft was so bad, people were going into debt just to pay for their housing. Crooked gambling, embezzling. Every woman I knew had to have sex two or three times a day, myself included. Sometimes more. Commander Orchid came because of the commander here. Yes, she saved us, and for that, Commander Orchid is a hero to every woman in uniform on this war base. She brought in Imperial Security and the Imperial Guard. Over a thousand men were executed, and hundreds of others demoted. Crime rings were smashed left and right. Unfortunately, we weren't able to save Chita's bosses. A pregnant officer is condemned to execution. I'm proud to say I was there to see the commander get his first command. The 945. He took me in. Promoted me to an officer and made me his Second. Then he shocked everyone present when he issued the first Protection Order."

"I was happy to transfer to the 945," Yalcamara added. "From the first day, I was treated with respect, and I was given my own command. The only man I shared my body with was the man I chose." She looked meaningfully at Stimmi. "There were six of us security troopers at first. Then more. The commander started the bus program, to protect others being hurt, so they could get to and from work. During that short time, we made a real difference. I was proud to wear my uniform!"

"Me, too," Stimmi echoed.

Pen laughed. "It's official, Commander. You are a hero, and we are your loyal paladins, one and all."

Giving them a nod of my head, I said, "I thank you for your kind words, and I appreciate your loyalty more than I can say. Unfortunately, it's also past time we get back to work. Doyya, how many working vehicles do we have-"

"No, sir," Doyya said. "We aren't done yet."

"Excuse me?"

"You are my commanding officer. I am your second in command," she answered. "We got sidetracked a bit because you needed to hear how we feel about you. However, we were talking about Charunt and the danger he poses. You issued orders to add protection to the school, the airfield, and your senior staff, but you did nothing for yourself, or specifically for your family. With all due respect, as your Second, that's not acceptable. I assume Captain Tlacotli is going armed these days?"

"I haven't made the request yet, but she did leave armed this morning. I will make sure she knows when I see her tonight."

"While she's in the air, her flight crew are vulnerable. You've ordered there be guards for Jay, Pen, and myself, and that everyone else be on alert and be armed with at least a stunner. Until further notice, I am ordering a pair of troopers will be assigned to guard Captain Tlacotli's flight crew. There will also be a pair of troopers be assigned daily to pick your daughters up from home, drive them to school, remain there until school is out, take them home, and remain on duty there until you or Captain Tlacotli return home in the evening. Another pair will guard your home while you are here on duty, until relieved by those guarding your daughters. Agreed, Commander?"

I sat back in my chair and gazed at Doyya. "Who are you and what have you done with my Second?"

Looking flustered, she nonetheless managed to keep eye contact. I was impressed.

"Commander! I assure you-"

Holding up my hands, I said, "A poor choice of words. I meant it as a compliment, Captain. Your time at Tikún has improved your skills and your confidence. And, your points are well taken. I have always believed you to be the best Second I could ever hope for, and you have never given me cause to think otherwise."

Yalcamara smirked at her, and Chita grinned as she nodded.

Doyya flushed at the praise. "Thank you, sir."

"If that's all, Captain, we have other things to deal with."

"There still the matter of you, Commander."

"Seven hells, Doyya. I often wear two holsters and I'm pretty sure I can hold my own in a hand-to-hand fight."

"Even one warrior can be overwhelmed by sheer numbers," she countered.

Ouch. I remembered when I told that to Janetta in my effort to convince her it was okay to love me.

Doyya continued speaking. "Last year you were shot in the leg by an assassin. A Ground Service officer was critically injured in that same encounter. You showed up at work, popping painkillers, and acting like everything was normal. Sergeant Chita and I both had to insist you get it treated. Indeed, I had to send Yalcamara and Stimmi to make sure you actually went to the hospital. Good thing, too, because we learned it was infected."

Pen looked at me with interest. A new story for him.

"And while you were there at the hospital," Yalcamara said, joining in, "two draconian assassins tried to murder you while you were strapped to the table. The captain is right. You need protection, too."

Pen sat back, marveling at the revelations. "Once Jay's here, Captain, promise me you'll take us for drinks? You can tell us more about our illustrious commanding officer." I snorted. "Yalcamara and Stimmi should join us," Pen added. Then he nodded to Chita. "Probably good to hear your take on things as well."

Impatient, I rapped my knuckle on the desk. "If we're done, can we move on?"

"We just agreed you needed protection, Commander," Doyya protested. "The matter is still at hand."

"Pick a couple of volunteers. It would be politic if Janetta met and okayed them. She's of the opinion that my male-mojo as she calls it will eventually overwhelm all the women I work around and they will begin throwing themselves at me. That's not a problem here, is it?"

Several startled glances.

"Not at all, Commander," Yalcamara assured me. But I noticed she did nudge Doyya.

"We admire you, Commander, but we aren't ready to swoon just yet," Chita said with a chuckle.

"Glad to hear it. Make a few selections, and send them to me and I will have Janetta vet them to her satisfaction. In the meantime, I have Sowitwee. He's a very good man to have in a fight."

"Yes, sir," Doyya replied unhappily.

"I'm afraid I must be firm about this. I respect your desire to do your job even when I'm being bull-headed about things. Captain Tlacotli is normally a professional, but she does have a temper, especially when it comes to personal matters. Do you remember what happened on the Condor, when Captain Tsocotchi suddenly hit me in the face?"

She nodded, pursing her lips.

"Even threatened with death, she was ready to kill Captain Tsocotchi if she didn't stop attacking me. I remember that with pride. I also remember my Second, ready to join her. People ask me why I fight so hard for women warriors to be treated with respect. Yes, one on one, men are often stronger. But being a warrior isn't always about strength alone. A warrior's heart is just as important. So are their brains. You yourself showed me the latter, Doyya. When we were challenged by the temple guards at the entrance, I was prepared to argue and fight to get passed them. You shot them with the stunner and ended the entire problem. Which, by the way, was brilliantly done."

She accepted the praise without a word, but I saw the gratitude in her eyes.

"My point," I continued, "is that you have been on the wrong end of Captain Tlacotli's verbal lashings. The last time she went off on me was the day before we met on the Condor. I had been back less than a day, and I'd managed to set her off. There was a wall clock in the office when she started in. It lasted over ten minutes, and she not only didn't repeat herself, she taught me a few new phrases."

Stimmi burst out in laughter, but at Doyya's baleful glance, he quickly recovered, saying contritely, "Sorry."

Smiling at him, I continued. "Captain Tlacotli is the mistress of my household, and she is not afraid to take me on if she is unhappy about anything at all. Letting her vet any guards assigned to me would show her I'm taking her opinions into account. Any troopers you send with my daughters, to guard the house, or to guard me need to be able to stand up to her. She will likely bully them to take their measure. If they aren't intimidated, they will probably pass, and she will likely ignore them after that."

"Volunteers, then," Doyya said thoughtfully, making a note on her tablet. "I'll work on it, sir."

"Now, about the number of vehicles. How many do we have that are in working condition? We need to review what comes as standard equipment in each cruiser. There's riot gear and heavier arms, but we've already identified that each cruiser should have an advanced first kit and a fire extinguisher. A few secured blankets to help treat shock. Yalcamara, you're in charge of that project. Review what's there and what's missing. Stimmi, you help her. Poll other troopers for their suggestions. Our cruisers need to support us in a variety of ways. We can't cover every contingency, but we can certainly do better. Chita, we're going to need get a count of how many stunners we have on hand, both 110s and 570s, and how many we have issued. Stunners can easily diffuse a potentially dangerous situation. If someone takes a hostage, just shoot them both, secure the target and render aid as needed. Whatever we're short of, we need to order more."

Chita tapped rapidly on her tablet. "On it." Yalcamara and Stimmi quietly conferred as he wrote on a paper tablet.

Doyya raised her eyebrows. "Do you currently have a stunner, Commander?"

Pursing my lips, I sighed. "No. I gave mine away and I've neglected to replace it. My bad. Which of you still have your stunners from our days at the 945?"

Doyya, Chita, Yalcamara, and Stimmi raised their hands.

"I'm impressed. Then we need at least four," I said. "One for me, Sowitwee, and Pen, and also one for Jay for when he gets here."

"Stimmi?" Yalcamara said. "Go down to the armory and sign out four light stunners. Save Chita some work here and ask them to get those lists the commander just asked for."

"Yes, Lieutenant." He winked at her and she grinned back at him. Pen noticed, but the other two women ignored the exchange.