Starlight Gleaming Ch. 19

"Yes, sir. I... thank you, sir."

I looked at my watch. "Wrap it up. I expect you back here in an hour, Sergeant, or I'd better get another phone call explaining why you aren't here. While your family is here, they are under your supervision. If you have to get anything urgently for them, there's a charge account set up at the Commissary under my name. We have space limitations on our flight back to High Guard. We can do more once we're home. Don't forget to have them scanned for any explosive devices. I need to go now."

"Understood, Commander." He hung up.

Cholan quietly asked, "Is there a problem?"

I closed my phone. "I suppose not. Sowitwee's found the rest of his family, but they're strung out on drugs, and very likely addicted. Worse, one of them is pregnant. Cocaine plays hell with infant brain development. All that's for tomorrow, after we're home. Okay, I had too much alcohol last night. Now I need to hit the latrine."

"Oh, why did you have to say that? Now I have to go, too."

We stepped outside, queuing up behind someone else already waiting for the single bathroom. Forty-three people with three toilets. Hmm. Wit's father, sisters, and the slaves make it fifty one. At least there was only one person ahead of us. And the woman tried to let us go ahead, but that would have been rude. However, I did let Cholan go ahead of me.

Focusing on anything but my bladder, I resolved that after breakfast, I'd see about having two or three more portables brought over. Next time, I would make sure we had something better than three abandoned air hangars for sleeping in. Sergeant Chita had done a lot in making this trip happen. However, I was the CO and I should have taken a look and made sure we had sleeping quarters at the least. Things were still getting settled at home, and Chita made sure a lot got done. This wasn't a battlefield and as CO, this was my screw up.

Suddenly a large snake darted out from under a cot.

"Holy shit!" someone exclaimed.

Several people in skivvies scrambled out of the way, some clambering onto cots. A lot of knives were drawn. Some of the more rattled drew fire-arms, but in the crowded sleeping area, I ordered them to stand down. The more level-headed troopers grabbed barn brooms and poles.

The snake turned out to be a harmless boa, at just over four feet, it was impressive.

I ordered it escorted outside and deposited three buildings over, in the opposite direction of where our vehicles were stored. Several troopers looked at me, surprised I hadn't ordered it killed.

"The Ground Service tells us this is their base," I explained. "We're guests here, and for all I know, this boa works for them."

Several snorts of laughter at that.

"Boas are good at pest control, and they don't bite unless provoked."

Several nods while the snake was scooped into a can. Things settled down, and Cholan took her turn.

By the time I got in and did my business, I sighed with relief.

Just as I stepped out, an Imperial Security cruiser pulled up and a worn out Yalcamara and Stimmi stumbled forth. Both had been up since at least zero-six hundred the day before, so they had to be beat. I waited for them to enter the building. Both paused while a corporal on guard duty gave them an update on things.

Yalcamara gave him a nod and entered, followed by Stimmi. Both were bleary-eyed but in good spirits. They headed toward the other building, likely for some sleep, but Stimmi saw me and with a nudge of his elbow, brought me to her attention.

"Morning, Commander," she said sleepily. Stimmi yawned.

I nodded. "How did it go?"

"A couple of injuries, none fatal on our side. Six hostile guards were taken down with two KIA. One tried to stab Stimmi, but his armor deflected most the blade. Some astringent and a Nu-Skin patch fixed him right up. We removed forty-three individuals, Commander. Oh, and apparently I shot someone important."

"Oh?"

"According to one Lord Meerhan who was on site, the man I killed was Mika Bayloks'mec. He drew a pistol and pointed it. Training kicked in. Two shots to the chest, both fatal."

Meerhan was supposedly a friend of Sowitwee's father. I'd had my suspicions, and now it was more clear to me that Daydo Bancorri had been framed, and Meerhan was in on it. Few things are more despicable than a man who pretends to be your friend while plotting your downfall.

"Meerhan? Huh. Interesting, indeed. How are you feeling?"

"Tired, Commander. We could both use some down time. But it was a good op. What we did felt good."

Stimmi nodded in agreement. Holding out his arm, she leaned into him.

"And the people you recovered?"

"Captain Korreem said he will have them checked out, and find out whether they've been kidnapped. Like the others, he's inquiring whether it's safe for them to return to their previous lives. He also said he would talk to his superior."

I nodded in approval. "Good job, Warriors, both of you. Go get some sleep. We'll talk more on this when we're back at High Guard."

They saluted and I returned it, then they left.

* * * * *

Part 22 -- Push Comes to Shove

* * * * *

Collecting our dirty laundry and pulling out our duffel bags from the room, I dressed in my Class B uniform. Taking my toiletry kit, I added in a pair of clean underwear and fresh socks. Cholan put on slacks and a tee-shirt, grabbed her own toiletry bag and a hanger with a non-see-through plastic covering. I was informed it was a surprise for later.

I only took my shoulder holster with the Talon. I put the Beltan 110 stunner into my front pocket with my keys. The Caiman and its holster remained in my bag.

With Mack driving and two other women troopers as escort for Cholan, they dropped me off at the BOQ, and the four of them continued on to the Enlisted Women's Dormitories to use their facilities. Chatting together as they drove off, I had to smile.

Spring was well underway, and the humidity, which I loathed, was in full swing. It was only in the mid-seventies, but it was just nearing zero-seven-thirty hours. It promised to be a sultry day later.

Once inside the building, I signed in, paid the two-credit fee to the surprised corporal manning the desk. He gave me a locker key, and after giving me some directions, I made my way down the hall to the showers. I hung up my clothes in the locker and secured it with the key. Lanyard, stunner, keys, and phone into the toiletry kit. Shoulder holster and towel over my shoulder, I proceeded to the showers and sinks.

I noticed one stall was already in use, but I ignored it.

Picking a sink from the two score I had to choose from, I quickly shaved, then brushed my teeth. There were nineteen other shower stalls to choose from, as well as a score of toilets and urinals. Picking a stall well away from the occupied one, I stepped inside. My kit went onto a high shelf. Towel and shoulder holster went onto the hook on the wall. Closing the plastic shower curtain, I turned on the water and adjusted the temp.

Soaping up, I washed my hair, then set to cleaning the rest of my body.

A couple of men chatting away entered the area. I lathered up. More voices as more men entered, talking and laughing.

Then a loud exclamation. "Ah, Sovansi, there you are!"

"Yeah, you know what that means." Another man.

"You're fucking kidding me! Can't I even take a damn shower in peace?" Definitely a woman. "Ouch! Damn it, that fucking hurts, Keedro!"

"You know what the captain told you," said the first man.

"I'm not putting that thing in my mouth, Franjomma! That's disgusting!"

The man laughed. "The CO made you the unit morale officer, Sovansi. I'm sad because my cock needs attention. It either goes in your mouth or in your ass, I don't care which. If it's your ass, you better ask me nice and maybe I'll soap it up first. I'm not going to wait until Keedro's done. You have three holes, bitch, and one's already plugged. Be grateful I'm giving you the choice!"

"Seven hells," I muttered, quickly rinsing off.

Shutting off the water, I grabbed the towel and wiped my face. Taking down my kit, I fished out the stunner. Tossing aside the curtain, I stepped into the room.

There were four men, naked and erect, staring into the open shower ahead. Two were openly stroking themselves at the scene they watched.

The sound of metal rings sliding on a metal pole made a lot of noise. They turned to me. One of the men on the end narrowed his eyes at me in annoyance. The next two also greeted me with suspicion. Interestingly, the fourth one actually grinned at me.

I stopped about ten feet away.

"Hey, there's free sublieutenant pussy here," the fourth one offered. "You want in?"

He probably thought he was being nice. Cruelty out of ignorance was still cruelty.

The other three, seeing my scowl, stood straighter and closed ranks. These three had Jaguar Warrior tattoos on their chests. Two were maybe second or third tier, but the annoyed one had a lot more details inked in. In the end, it didn't matter one whit.

Behind them, I could see one man roughly pumping into the woman from behind while she tried not to gag on the second one as he fucked her mouth.

"This is a private party," the annoyed, heavily tattooed one warned.

I shook my head. "I heard her. She's not doing this by choice, so I'm making this my business. Party's over. Clear off, the lot of you."

The highly tattooed and annoyed one growled back, "I'm a senior lieutenant, you dipshit. Don't interfere or I'll have you up on charges. If you know what's good for you, mind your own business."

"Yeah," the first lesser Jaguar chimed in. "This is sanctioned by our CO. So fuck off!"

"You heard him. Fuck off," said the third tattooed Jaguar.

The fourth one looked unsure, staring at my closed fist.

"Maybe I wasn't clear. This is ending right now. If I have to go through all of you, so be it. I'll duel each of you, Warrior to Warrior, one at a time to get my way. Those who decline are free to leave. Who's first?"

"Hah!" the tattooed senior lieutenant sneered. "I don't see any Warrior tattoos on you! I don't have to accept from those that aren't worthy. It's six to one. Scram! Or we will teach you the error of your ways."

I shook my head. "Were you dropped on your head as a child one too many times? Only those in the temple orders bother with tattoos. Not everyone feels the need to brag about their skills. You've been lawfully challenged. Either duel or clear off, you jumped up little prick!"

Enraged, he roared and charged, and his two buddies were a half-second behind him.

The stunner caught all three of them at almost point-blank range. Even so, I was already moving as their bodies suddenly lost control. Fist to the nose to the Jaguar leader. A solid hit. Rapid leg sweeps to jaguar kittens one and two. They landed hard on the tile floor. Two of them tried to rise up, but a heel to one head and then to the other advised them it really was better to take a lie down for the moment.

The fourth one, surprised, lifted his hands and backed away.

"Maybe you're the smart one," I growled at him. "Don't let the door hit your ass as you leave."

Looking scared, he ran out.

I focused on the two men in the shower. Both pulled out of the woman. She looked scared, and backed up against the tile wall. I waved the stunner at the men.

"Come on out, you arrogant pricks. Nice and slow. No funny business. Face down on the ground, hands behind your head."

Both their hands went up, looking at the compact stunner pointed at them.

"You shoot and you'll get her, too," commented the man who'd been fucking woman called Sovansi from behind. That made him Keedro. Which made the other one who'd been getting the blow job Franjomma.

I grinned at him. "That's the beauty of a stunner. Even if I hit her, she'll be unhurt and I get to do what I want with the two of you. At the moment, I'm inclined to kick the shit out of both of you. Come on out, nice and slow."

"What's your problem? She's a subordinate. We're within our rights." Keedro.

"Yeah! What's your problem? It's just pussy!"

I shook my head. "And I heard you not giving her a choice about it. Picking on someone who can't resist is the act of a coward and a bully. Which makes all of you selfish, over-privileged gits instead of real Warriors. Now get down on the floor like I told you. I won't say it a third time."

Franjomma hissed out in Nahuatl, "If we spread apart, we can jump him. He might get one of us, but the other would be on him."

"No," hissed back Keedro. "Wait until the others have recovered. Then we rush him."

I shot them both. "Fucking morons," I muttered. One charge remaining in the stunner. These guys were serious pricks. The way things were going, I was going to have to start breaking bones soon.

"You shouldn't have done that," she said, frowning as she stood straighter.

I got a good look at her. Pretty. Naked but for the simple chain necklace with her locker key on it. Geometric tattoos encircling her upper arms. The feathered serpent god on her belly for the god of wisdom and learning. To the Yucatec Mayans, the god was Kulkulkan. In Nahuatl, he was Queztalcoatl. Like the alien Order of Quetzal. The draconians probably thought the whole thing hilarious -- humans worshiping a feathered serpent god.

"Your name's Sovansi, right? Turn off the shower so I can hear you. Thank you. If I made a mistake and you want them to fuck you, say so and I'll move on. Yes or no, did you want this?"

"No!" She folded her arms and glared at me. "I fucking hate being treated like I'm their cum hole. I work hard and what do I get? Ridiculed and berated, treated like I'm their property. I didn't like what they were doing, but I probably could have walked away afterward. I have to work with them. Now, because of you, next time it's going to be worse for me. You probably thought you were being helpful. Well, you know what, Hero? You didn't do me any favors."

I shrugged. "When someone says no, I have to step in. It's a thing with me."

"Are you an absolute idiot? Don't you know how it is? No, of course not. How could you? You're a man. Well, listen up, Do-Gooder. When your commanding officer orders you to submit and service the others in your unit, it becomes your duty. Personal feelings just get in the way. If I make a fuss, it's me who gets punished, not them. If I press charges because they were too rough, I will be forced out, discharged for insubordination, and they will simply find themselves another woman to hurt, and meanwhile my career is over. All you've managed to do was make things worse for me. Thanks for nothing!"

"I take it your CO fucks you, too?"

She looked at me in disbelief. "What do you think? Of course he does. In front of everyone. And if he's feeling particularly punitive, they... they take turns until I can't even stand."

"What's your full name and grade, Sovansi?"

She narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously. "Why?"

One of the men stirred. I crouched down, grabbed his hair to lift him up and punched him twice. When I let go, he groaned and fell back to the floor. I had to admit, it felt good.

"Because I asked you, Sublieutenant! Seven hells! I'm not the bad guy here."

Another one started to rise, and I gave him a quick kick alongside his head. Yeah, that felt good, too.

I was tempted to stay and beat the crap out of all five of them. If I did that, they'd forget about her for awhile. Calia's warning about the seduction of violence came to me then. I sighed.

Sovansi stared at me, frowning.

Exasperated, I shook my head. "Fine. I'm going to take another rinse and get out of here. I'd advise you, Lieutenant, the next time someone offers you a helping hand, don't bite it off. If you want things to change, you need to take a chance. I'm done here. I have places to be and things to do. If you come to your senses and decide you want my help, I can get you transferred to where you don't have to fuck in order to do your job."

Keeping an eye on her and the men, I carefully walked back to the shower. Stunner went into the kit. Keeping the curtain open, I turned the water back on. Stepping under the flow, I ran my fingers through my hair to get the rest of the soap out, with an extra rinse of my crotch for good measure. Ten seconds at most, then the water was off and I toweled myself dry.

The men started to shake off the effects of the stun blast.

"When I get up," Keedro slurred, "I am going to fuck your ass until you can't walk, Sovansi."

"You'll wish you were dead," avowed another.

"Fuck that noise. I want a piece of that cock-blocking son of a bitch!" Jaguar-man. Naturally.

"Damn, I think he broke my nose!"

I slipped the holster onto my shoulder, pulled out the Talon and charged it, flipping off the safety, then re-holstered the weapon.

If I shoot them, I cautioned myself, I will have two or three days worth of forms to fill out and questions to answer. Might be worth it. But Doyya will have Yalcamara's hide for it because I'm here alone instead of with a guard, and that would be a piss-poor reward for the danger she put herself into last night.

Exasperated yet resolved, I put the towel onto my shoulder and kit under my left arm.

"Sovansi, if you want a chance to serve your country without being treated like garbage, get your gear and follow me. You have ten minutes to make up your mind. As for the rest of you sorry in-bred mistakes of genetic excrement, listen up! I gave you a chance to salvage some honor and duel one-on-one and you threw it in my face. I strongly suggest you reflect on the Warrior's Code and upon this event before you do something even more idiotic than what you've already shown yourselves capable of. Get this through your heads. I am armed, you fucking morons. The only reason I haven't shot you is because the damn paperwork irritates me more than you do. And while I am here, I insist that you leave Sovansi alone."

The men exchanged looks and I knew, just knew there was going to be trouble. As for Sovansi, I'd made the offer. If she wasn't smart enough to take help when it was offered -- well, we all make choices and have to live with the results.

I turned and walked through the swinging door. At my locker, I pulled the Talon out and sat it onto the bench for quicker retrieval. Three slow breaths to help calm myself down. I fished out the key and my phone from my kit. Opening the locker, I dialed Mack. Putting the phone into the crook of my neck, I stepped into my clean underwear. It continued ringing. Pulled out my shirt and put it on. I just finished the buttons when there was a voice on the other line.

"Yes, Commander?"

"What's your location, Mack?"

"We're just getting dressed. Is there a problem, sir?"

"Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I expect things to get hot here very soon." I finished securing my shirt, then grabbed my trousers.

"Are you still at the showers, sir?"

"Affirmative. I hope I'm misreading things, but I don't think so." I pulled up the trousers, tucked in my shirt tails, zipped my fly and tightened my belt.

"Sit-rep, sir?"

"Six men ambushed a woman in the showers, taking her against her will. I stopped it. Stunned them and roughed some of them up. Then I warned them to behave. One ran off, but I don't think the other five are taking my lecture to heart."

"We're on our way, Commander. ETA five minutes." She hung up.

Putting my phone down, I picked up my socks and shoes, sitting down on the bench. Trying not to grind my teeth, I picked up the holster and buckled the rig into place. Flipping on the safety, I slid the weapon into its home.