Starlight Gleaming Ch. 20

To my surprise, it was the Capisco cop who came to my rescue. Standing by my side, he looked over my shoulder, took a picture of the invoice with his own tablet, then took out his badge, flashing it at the airport representative. "Detective Sergeant Crazy Wolf, Seven Nations Security Representative from the Nation of Hasanyeet. We'll need a copy of everything, and we want all the charges itemized. Oh, and we have a member of the press aboard our flight, documenting the journey." He pointed at Miss Reo. "She'll want a copy, too. The Federal Council and the President are interested in this venture, hoping to ease trade restrictions and hopefully open negotiations to acquire some Imperial medical technology."

The man deflated, paling a bit. "Maybe there's been a mistake?"

The cop growled, "I want to be home before sunset. I suggest you fix it before everything becomes official and questions get asked."

As the airport man hurried off with his invoice, Crazy Wolk gave Doonitz a hard look.

Immediately defensive, Doonitz raised his hands. "He appeared honest. I was taking him at his word. How was I to know the bill was being padded?"

Crazy Wolf said, "It's your job to know, Doonitz. The information provided by this man and Killayana led to the arrest earlier this year of almost a hundred individuals, including more than two dozen foreign nationals, and seizure of over three million tuvas in assets."

I shook my head. "Save it for later. Thank you, Detective Sergeant. That was awful decent of you."

He actually grinned at me, then looked out the big bay windows to the people moving their bags onto our aircraft. "You're trying to do a good deed here. Why should you have all the fun trying to keep the idiots and petty thieves in line?"

"Mister Crazy Wolf, I remind you I work for the government," Doonitz snapped out. "Your insinuations will go in my report."

"As will mine to my superiors," the cop countered.

"Gentlemen, please. Does anyone have an idea on the exchange rate of credits to tuvas?"

No one had any ideas. Not even Doonitz. So far, his liaisoning skills were proving less than stellar.

Several minutes later, Akama rejoined us, standing next to Mack. "Everyone's pretty much aboard, Commander," she said. "A few are still getting settled, but we're ready whenever you are. They tried to fuel up the aircraft, but the captain said we didn't need it so it was refused."

Janetta turned to her. "Corporal Akama?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Good job." Janetta winked at her.

Flushing with embarrassment, Akama grinned. "Thank you, Captain."

Captain Makhelchel narrowed his gaze at me, saying, "It appears the warning you gave was nothing to worry about."

I glanced at Mack and Akama, both of whom took their role seriously. "I'd rather that than another ambush. A lot can happen in sixty seconds. However, I'd still recommend keeping an eye out. There were two attempts on my life less than a week ago, and Captain Tlacotli and her crew were also targeted. We lost two good men, and several more were injured."

A nod to Akama, and she resumed keeping watch for anything untoward.

Makhelchel offered his hand to Janetta and she shook it.

"Captain Tlacotli, I am glad to see you are hale. How anyone in their right mind would want to destroy such a fine looking woman as yourself is beyond reason." A smile tugged at her face at that. "How is it the best interceptor pilot in the Empire is flying a transport? I would have thought you would be flying patrol."

She shrugged, giving a put-upon smile. "He talked to the Base Commandant. What could I do?"

"So he arranged it without your say-so? You're not here voluntarily?"

"Sometimes that's how the Commander does things. But he's not a bad guy, if you're willing to make allowances."

"Oh?"

Giving Makhelchel a conspiratorial wink, she whispered, "This guy lives with five women, can you believe it? And almost every time I see him, he tells me he wants inside my pants. Other than that, though, he's not a bad sort."

Amused, I shook my head at her teasing.

Captain Makhelchel looked at me with disapproval. "Commander, if you have five women at home, maybe you should focus on them instead of pestering this fine, upstanding young lady officer."

"Good advice," I agreed. "I'll be sure to focus on the five women living with me and give them everything they deserve."

"Commander, are you mocking me?" the Ground Service captain demanded.

"Assuredly not. Captain Tlacotli neglected to mention -- and you had no way of knowing -- that she is one of those five women. She is also mistress of my household. I freely admit to being smitten with her, and yes, it's true. I do try to get inside her pants every chance I get."

He raised his eyebrows as he turned his attention back to Janetta.

"Captain Tlacotli is an Eagle Warrior," I continued. "However, she's also a Jaguar Warrior. I'm sure no harm was meant, but as you know, jaguars are ambush predators, and Janetta does like to see what she can catch."

Not amused, Makhelchel said, "I have the feeling you two deserve each other."

"I'm sorry if you feel slighted," Janetta told him, taking off her aviation glasses. "My words were meant more for the commander than for you. I hadn't expected you to take him to task for it, and... I thank you for your kind words. It speaks well of you. The commander is actually a good man and a fine officer. His Unit Protection Order has changed life at High Guard for everyone, and in a good way."

At his raised eyebrows, she briefly described the Order.

Makhelchel rounded on me. "I find this hard to believe." He looked at Mack. "Speak true, Sergeant. This so-called Unit Protection Order is real?"

She looked at me, and I gave her a nod of permission.

Mack looked at the Ground Service captain. "Sir, in my opinion and in that of many of my fellow troopers, Commander Kandikan fights to protect all of us in his command, and he gets us the equipment to do our jobs. When those of us fall in the line of duty, he has our names written on the Wall of the Honored Dead so that we are not forgotten. The commander treats officer and enlisted with respect, and expects everyone to honor the Emperor and to do their duty.

"You ask if this Order is real. I tell you, Captain, not only is it real, it's become a mantra of hope for a lot of us. Corporal Akama took a bullet meant to kill him less than a week ago. She nearly died, and I know she'd do it again, no question, her with a daughter just a year old to care for. Those of us who are Akama's friends are proud of her, but we're also a little jealous. This trip to help these young people is just like him. I am proud to put on my uniform every day and go to work for the finest commanding officer I've ever known. Corporal Akama!"

"Yes, Sergeant!"

"What's the regimental motto?"

"Llam nuqan!"

She gave Makhelchel a grim nod. "Does that answer your questions and your doubts?"

"It does, Sergeant. I'm... impressed by your obvious loyalty to your officer, and I can see the corporal feels the same way. Commander, does High Command know about this Order of yours?"

"If they don't, they soon will," I replied. "The Air Marshal was personally informed of the Unit Protection Order as well several other of our new programs, all of which are being evaluated."

Makhelchel chuckled. "So you're a trouble-maker. Just not the usual sort, but rather one we sorely need. I feel better about this whole crazy venture of yours. Well, looks like the bureaucrats are coming back. Once you leave, we can get turned around and leave ourselves."

The airport rep strode back to us. Doonitz marched along with him, doing his best to look important. The rep presented his clipboard with a newly printed invoice.

Scanning the items, I sighed. "So you're charging me two thousand five hundred tuvas as a fuel rejection fee because I refused to refuel here?"

Standing a bit straighter, the rep said, "The truck came out with workmen. They have to be compensated."

"Maybe you'd get more visitors if you weren't trying to extort every copper penny by every means you can invent. Three hundred and seventy-eight tuvas for accommodations, food, and entertainment? I'll agree to that."

Captain Makhelchel scowled. "What? That's outrageous! They handed out snacks from the vending machine. And they insisted that we stay in this part of the terminal. The students went to the latrine under armed escort."

"Purely precautionary," the rep insisted.

"I have a Bank of Chimorro credit card with me--"

The rep held up his hand. "I'm sorry, but we only accept Seven Nations' currency."

"Fine," I replied. "Send the bill to Detective Sergeant Crazy Wolf here, by way of the Capisco Police Department. Once he's had a chance to review the bill for any anomalies, I will submit a bank draft in Seven Nations currency to cover what remains, and he will forward same to you. That all right with you, Detective Sergeant? Excellent." I scribbled my signature, and took the bottom copy, handing it to Crazy Wolf. "Captain Makhelchel, when you get the bill for the transport costs getting you here, please be good enough to send that to the detective sergeant as well. I won't have this coming from your budget."

At my words, Crazy Wolf dug into his pocket and handed out a business card to Captain Makhelchel and the airport rep.

"Wait! You can't leave without paying your bill! I'll press charges!"

Crazy Wolf grinned. "Mr. Doonitz, you are the liaison representative of our government. As has already been pointed out, this is a medical trip not a commercial one. You need to liaise for the Commander. I believe the Commander to be a man of his word. If he says he will pay, he'll pay, once the bill has been reviewed. And if all you did for food was to open vending machines, that will not look good in the press, now will it? And curiously, both of the vending machines in my line of sight are empty. How odd. Unless both of you are telling a twenty-two year veteran of the police force that I cannot be trusted to follow through on this matter?"

Mack and Akama touched their helmets, and the reflective visors snapped down, causing the round man to jump.

"Uh, n-no, certainly not." He licked his lips nervously, glancing around. Janetta's aviation glasses were back on, and even though she looked at him impassively, you could feel the disapproval radiating from her. "Very well. We'll do as you ask, Mr. Kandikan, but under protest. We hope that you will be better prepared to pay your bill when you return, in the currency of our great nation."

"I'm sure we'll figure things out," I replied coldly. I handed the clipboard and original back to him.

Makhelchel shook hands with Crazy Wolf, Janetta, and myself. He pointedly ignored Doonitz and the airport rep. He strode out the doors to his aircraft, and we followed him out into the bright sunshine.

Even with those shenanigans, it was still a nice summer day. Not too hot, and a nice cooling breeze.

As we walked back, Miss Reo, who had just turned off her tablet recorder, was trying very hard not to laugh.

Crazy Wolf said, "You want me to hand this bill over to our financial team?"

"I'd appreciate it. Once legitimate charges have been verified, I'll come to Capisco and pay up. If you're interested, I'd also like to take you and your partner to lunch. You know. One cop to another. You pick the place, and I'm buying."

As we walked up the ramp, he smiled. "I'd like that, Commander. Yes, indeed. I'd like that very much."

* * * * *

Part 20 -- The Gods of Chaos Strike Again

* * * * *

It was crowded within the Albatross on the return flight.

We refueled at Tellumgu without incident.

Interestingly, just as they had before, there were no issues with my Imperial credit card at Tellumgu. The made me even more suspicious of our experiences at Sugarland. There was a two percent fee for paying with credits, but I found out that the exchange rate was favorable, with the Imperial Credit equaling one tuvas and thirteen minims, a minim being the equivalent of our penny. So the refueling bill of eighty-five hundred tuvas ran me six thousand, nine hundred, and forty Imperial credits. While the paperwork was attended to, those who needed to use the latrine did so, and as instructed by Mack, no one went off alone, and one of the security troopers stayed with the minors for the entire time they were off the aircraft.

Both the young people and the chaperones were fascinated with Mack and Akama having to take time to use the milker. Both women were happy to talk about their babes waiting for their return. This, in turn, led to a discussion of their living situation. Reo, too, asked questions, and busily wrote on her tablet.

For the most part, Miss Reo also kept herself busy talking to Emilo and the three parents. Tentative permission to use first names only with both pictures and film was given. Afterward, Akama noted that Reo put in fresh data sticks at least five times during the six hour trip.

The return trip was almost forty-five minutes shorter, which was welcomed by both Janetta and me. In any event, it was still daylight, and just turning twenty-hundred hours when we touched down at High Guard. The cordial greeting from the Tower was nice, too.

We taxied to the terminal, and were met by two Armadillo transports as well as a score of Air and Ground Service personnel. They politely greeted the civilians and helped them transfer their luggage. The four critical cases rode straight to the hospital for monitoring and re-assessments, but the others were helped into the transports.

Sergeant Chita had arranged for them to have a shared dormitory, courtesy of the Quarter Master's Office and one Captain Uturuncu. I remembered her from when Doyya's quarters had been broken into by Voyacherno's men. The Captain had been quite peeved over the whole incident, and she had apologized to Doyya at least three times about it.

In any event, I was informed the quarters were set up with beds made, with a hot meal courtesy of the Ground Service Food Service catering to them in their quarters. Miss Reo and her five bags of luggage -- four of which had been left behind at High Guard, followed them to her own temporary room adjacent to theirs.

A couple of people from the Media Relations office were there to take their own pictures as they debarked, and they followed them to their quarters, promising after a few pictures, they would allow everyone to rest.

I offered to treat Crazy Wolf to dinner.

He shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, but my wife's expecting me home. It'll take an hour to get through your gates, and then I'm on the other side of the city."

Shaking his hand, I thanked him for his assistance. Doonitz, while steamed by his treatment at Sugarland, had been talked to by Crazy Wolf and waited quietly in the detective sergeant's vehicle for his ride back to the precinct.

An Air Security cruiser provided them escort to the main gate, and I called the main gate to request his exit from High Guard be expedited. The lieutenant said he would do what he could.

I thanked Sergeant Guerca and his troopers for their presence during the flight. His corporal answered cheekily that they would be happy to volunteer again because they could always use more shut-eye.

"Be glad it was easy duty, Corporal," Mack growled out. "Our Wall of the Dead is still drying with the names of the good people we lost last week to assassins."

Guerca elbowed the corporal, then nodded at Mack. "Air Service."

"Ground Service, too," she answered. "We heard some of you were hurt doing gate duty."

They shook hands and the Ground Security departed.

The dog-handlers and their canine partners were tired from the travel; they nodded at my gratitude and stumbled off to relax, eat a hot meal, and crash.

Mack and Akama were replaced by Vaniksl and Laylandi coming on duty. Both women gave a tired salute before they drove off.

Janetta and I went over the plane with the assigned pilot and mechanics. The inspection went quickly, and despite pointed questions to the Load Master by his crew-mates, he was respectful in his answers. Satisfied, they took back their aircraft and taxied it to their hangar, happy for its return.

As we got into the back of the cruiser, Laylandi started the drive taking us home.

"How was the trip, Commander?" Vaniksl asked.

"Tiring, but pleasant. Janetta? What do you think?"

"It was good. Better than I expected," she acknowledged. "Flying with you was pretty good. The flight was boring, but that was nice in its own way. And we got a chance to talk some. Thank you for taking me, Commander."

Then she took my hand and leaned against me for the ride home. I was in heaven.

"Oh, Commander," Vaniksl said. "There's a package in the boot for Sowitwee. Or, rather, it's addressed to his wife, Nariya. It's been waiting at his desk for the past few days, but since he hasn't been in, your admin Hanami thought it best if it didn't remain at the office."

"Package? What sort of package?" I asked, concerned.

"It's all right, sir. It's been checked out. It's a guitar. Rather fancy one from what I gather."

That made me smile. Sowitwee had seemed pleased when we'd ordered it. I looked forward to hearing her sing in the near future. At Janetta's look, I explained, "Nariya used to be a professional singer. That's how they met. Wit picked it out for her."

"You paid for it, didn't you."

"She's often humming something or other. With all the things that happened, they could never afford for her to replace the one that was destroyed when she was assaulted."

"Softie," she muttered, but leaned against me.

I just smiled.

When the cruiser pulled up to the house, there were two civilian vehicles parked in front.

"Whoever it is, Ranji," Janetta warned, "I'm going inside for a hot shower and hot meal, and I'm going to bed early."

"Sergeant? Will you find out who it is, and whether it can wait till tomorrow?"

"Yes, sir."

Sergeant Vaniksl got out and approached the first vehicle while we got out and were escorted to the front door by Laylandi. We waited on the stoop for Vaniksl's return.

The sergeant chatted briefly with the occupants of the vehicle. When he returned, he looked perplexed and even a little embarrassed.

"Commander, it's Dagantochtlo's widow. She begs for an audience with you."

Janetta irritation transformed into instant storm mode, ready to dish out plenty of sound and fury. "What?! She actually dares show herself here? Her husband cheated in a duel of honor and tried to murder you. Let me deal with this cunt!"

As she reached down for her left boot knife, I put my hand to her shoulder. "Janetta! We don't know her situation. She likely had nothing to do with his actions. I'm willing to at least hear her out."

"Fine," she grated out. "But if she says one bad word about you or tries anything, I will end her."

Laylandi looked back at me. Whatever respect Dagantochtlo himself once had was now non-existent. Nearly everyone shared Janetta's disdain for the dead man.

"Janetta, I think I need to get some body armor for you to wear. I'd certainly feel better knowing you had the extra protection."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm not disagreeing with you. Just not happy with it is all."

The front passenger door of the second vehicle opened and a man, obviously a guard, got out, moving around to the rear door nearest us. After opening the door he bowed, holding out his hand. A woman took it and stepped out.

Middle-aged, she was dressed in a heavily brocaded dress of huge checks, consisting of dark blue, bright red, and white. She wore a close-fitting cyan-colored cap with gold filigree. She was quite striking, and if I had to guess, she looked to be around Zinja's age. Three more people exited the vehicle -- a man and a woman dressed as servants, and one who appeared to be a priestess.