Starlight Gleaming Ch. 21 Pt. 03

"All right," I replied. "I will swing by tomorrow in the afternoon." I turned to Izel. "Would you be willing to make some visits on my behalf?"

"Of course, Husband." She reached over and took my hand in hers.

"Captain Uturuncu and her team were hurt pretty badly. If they have them at the Commissary, I'd for the captain and each of her team to have flowers given to them. And if you can visit Second Home afterward, please find out if there are things they need to replace. I know Laylandi, Cooma, and Haytam probably lost everything when First Home burned. Besides Mack and Akama here, there are likely others needing things like baby clothes, diapers, milkers, bedding, women's garments, and other things."

Giving me a look of adoration, she nodded. "Yes, Husband. I will be honored to help."

"I'd like to go, too," Calia said. "I may be able to provide some assistance."

Mack and Akama looked surprised, then hopeful. "I'm sure your presence will be most welcome," Akama assured Calia. "Both of you will be welcome," Mack added. "And thank you!"

"Before you go there, Calia," I said, "I'd like your help with a man that was arrested the day before yesterday."

Izel gasped, then looked at me wide-eyed. "You want her to check Oceotl?"

"The same. Do what you can, Calia. See if he's a trustworthy man. If he is, I have plans for him. If he's not, then I need to file charges against him."

"Very well," she answered. "Of course, with everyone else gone, that will leave Ixma in charge." She winked at her adopted sister. "Do you think you can handle that, Ixma?"

The woman snorted at Calia. "Of course! My mama didn't raise no fool. I made it to corporal, didn't I? I will keep everything under control until you and Lady Izel return."

With those things decided, I rapidly finished my meal. When I was done, I gave Sisi and Mina both a hug and while my youngest was still acting grumpy, she let me hug her for a few minutes before retreating to her mother's arms.

Giving me an earnest look, Sowitwee promised he would look after everyone.

I smiled at him. "That's what I'm counting on, Wit. Just don't forget to take it easy until you're healed."

Mack and Akama finished up and returned their children to their sitters.

First I had to go to my office to pick up my laptop. Mack smirked as she watched me collect it and double-check to make sure my desk was secure, even with the two security guards on duty.

"I know, I know," I admitted to her. "I should have taken it with me earlier. At the time, it made sense. But I've been going a lot of hours on very little sleep. Give me a break, will you?"

"You're the commander, sir. You are entitled to make mistakes. As your loyal troopers, we reserve the right to be amused by them."

I grinned at her as we left the building. "Fair enough, Mack."

Heading over to the Motor Pool, the buses were started and the caravan headed over to the barracks. First, we picked up Sammi Reo and her two assistants, and at my invitation, she rode along with me while I detailed some of the events that had happened during and after the raid by Atlantis. She was, by turns, horrified, excited, appalled, and somber. I assumed I would have to explain more to Crazy Wolf and his bosses, so I told her more would be forthcoming, but to go ahead and start documenting this event.

When we arrived at the cluster of buildings, I found both Doyya and Chita there, talking with the women; Doyya was talking to those from the Seven Nations and Chita was talking to the others in an adjoining conference hall. With Doyya were two translators helping explain things to the women.

Many of the women themselves looked at me with some apprehension, many of them with hollows under their eyes and some with bruises. On closer examination, I saw that they were freshly cleaned. Many had either plain, unadorned uniforms or wore simple civilian clothing.

Doyya explained that I was the one who'd sent her and the other troopers to rescue them from their captivity. "The clothing, the blanket, the money, and the card are yours to keep, a gift from the Empire. My name is on both sides, one side is in Queschuan, but the other side is in Hassanyeet. We encourage you to talk to each other, to counselors, family, support groups, whatever. However, if you need to reach out, I or someone in my office will do our best to listen and respond. That will probably mean calling your own police to respond in case there's an emergency, but we will do the best we can. We also want to know if you're doing okay." She waited for the translator to finish speaking, then turned to me and saluted. "Are the buses here, sir?"

"Yes, they are, Captain. Ladies, we are going to drive you to Capisco and drop you off at a local high school. Reporter Sammi Reo is here, but be assured, if you don't want to talk to her, you do not have to do so. However, if you want to just say hello to your family or have something else to say, I'm sure Miss Reo will be happy to talk with you. Once we are in Capisco itself, we will turn you over to police officers and social workers who will take your names and begin processing your return home."

One of the women stood up and asked a question and pointed at her round belly. I'd worried about that; after rescue, almost a score of women had declared themselves pregnant. The translator said, "What if we don't want to go home?"

"Then you can stay and we will work something out. The last thing we want to do is send you into a harsh situation without emotional support. The corporal at the desk will give you a paper to sign if you want to stay. A copy of that will be provided to the police so they can inform your relatives you are alive and where you are. This is sovereign territory and you cannot be forced to leave if you don't want to go."

Nine opted to stay, and it took close to an hour to get the remainder to say their goodbyes and onto the buses. With us came the translator, Sublieutenant Holkatsl, and her assistant, Sergeant Quenti, both assigned to CID under SrLT Garnet Voloon.

We escorted the buses across the war base and queued up to the Main Gate. A half-an-hour later, we crossed into the Seven Nations, where we were met by a dozen police cruisers. We have five buses, and besides us were two more cruisers and a Type-M ChoCac for support. Following and recording the whole way was Sammi Reo and her camera crew.

Entering the mostly empty high school, the women were divided up for processing. Sergeant Benti and two Air Security waited in the main room with the women as they were being interviewed.

Naturally, Detective Sergeant Jon Crazy Wolf and his assistant, Detective Aranan Thunder Cloud were there. With them were several men in uniform with fancy braids and de-bobs on their shoulder boards, as well as some men in fancy clothing, and others who deferred to them. Maybe even some city officials as well. They shuffled us to a smaller room, by all appearances a classroom.

Mack and Akama, wearing their helmets, had opted to have their assault rifles handy. They stood behind me. Next to me was the translator, Sublieutenant Holkatsl.

Crazy Wolf tried to ask questions, but before I could even answer, the other men shouted them down and turned their ire toward me. Crazy Wolf looked apologetic, and another apparently tried to get him and his partner to leave, but after a look at me, decided to stay.

"There are some pretty serious charges against your people, I'll have you know," one of their leaders barked out. "Charges made by some influential citizens. Charges like kidnapping and murder."

"I came here in good faith," I said. "If you have any intention of detaining or arresting me--"

There was a scuffle at the door. Sammi Reo and her crew tried to enter, and they were being denied entrance.

"Let them in!" I said loudly. "I invited them to be here to help document the return of these poor young women to the comforting arms of their friends and families. Welcome, Miss Reo, to our news conference! If you will set up over there, I will answer some questions, but only after I have a chance to explain how these missing women were found and came to be at High Guard."

Grabbing a chair, Reo sat down while her two assistants set up their cameras.

Another one of the Capisco leaders protested. "You need to address these other concerns before we can even consider some press conference. That's not how we do things here! These people need privacy, not to have their faces plastered everywhere! What are you, some insensitive clod?"

I frowned. "If you don't let this happen the way that I want, we'll pack up right now. Miss Reo and her people as well as the two detectives will be invited to listen and ask questions about the events of the past three days. I include the detectives because while I don't know them very well, I have learned they are law-abiding cops who have no use for those who bend or break the rules of common decency.

"Make no mistake. I am not someone you can browbeat. I am Lord Ranji Kandikan, a nobleman and the commanding officer of the 602 Air Security Regiment. I command almost two thousand warriors who also happen to be cops. We are also citizens of the Empire of Chimorro, a foreign and sovereign government. It was at my order, gentlemen, mine, that we shared the information that led to those arrests a few months ago. Now do you want to calm down or do we need to leave right now? I'll give you two minutes to decide. After that, we'll go back to High Guard and you can ask us politely to cooperate."

Then, very deliberately, I went to the teacher's desk and sat behind the desk to wait.

There was some arguing, but grudgingly, they settled into chairs and waited.

"Are we ready?" I asked. There were some scowls, but most nodded. "All right. All the women that are here tonight have various reasons for why they ended up in Capisco. Some were runaways. Some were looking for jobs or a chance to be famous. What they all shared is that they were captured by the gang Obsidian Tears, and every single one of them was to be sold outside of the safety of the Seven Nations, a tactic designed to make it harder for them to more easily return home. Those who were virgins were to be sold at premium prices. Those few who weren't, were frequently raped and some of those women chose to remain behind at High Guard, and we will honor their requests."

I focused on the men around the room. "You should know, however that women from the Seven Nations weren't the only ones we rescued. We discovered over sixty women and girls as young as twelve who were stolen from their homes in the Eastern Islands. There were also women from the Aesir states, from Atlantis, and from various places in Afrika. Because despite the many arrests and men sentenced to prison mere months ago, there still remained a small yet active city underneath your own, carrying on their illegal activities as usual. Until two days ago, that included an active and large slave market dealing mostly with women and children, though a few men were rescued as well. What led to their discovery is that these criminals took people from the Empire, too. I supposed they hoped with all the dead and missing, we wouldn't notice a few more that suddenly became absent. Except that some of those that went missing had been reported as safe a few hours earlier. The number of captives totaled almost two hundred human beings, mostly women and young girls who were to be sold as sexual playthings in foreign lands."

Taking a deep breath, I continued. "We had suspected there was a secret entrance into High Guard for months now, and though we searched, its location eluded us. At least, until recently. Based on the size of the operation and the extensive infrastructure, it must have taken them years to build this, and no doubt with the full cooperation of my predecessor.

"Prior to the attack by the Atlantean Air Force, my home where my family and children lived was also targeted by members of this gang, Obsidian Tears. I'm not sure whether it was to capture my family or to murder them, but they certainly meant to hurt me personally. Possibly for providing the information for the arrests some months ago. This was no small party either. There were five vehicles with thirty-two men, heavily armed and with tactical armor. Some were armed with rocket-propelled grenades."

Agitated, I stood as I recounted my tale. "During that assault on my home, several cruisers responding to the call for help were shot up, and one was blown up by a grenade. Security troopers died at the hands of these thugs. Not all of them were Air Security, but in the same way when you hear about a cop from another city getting hurt or killed, don't you feel the news is a little personal? I feel the same way about other security forces. A helicopter pilot was providing coordination to our people on the ground, and those men shot him down. That pilot successfully guided his craft to an empty parade ground to avoid hurting anyone else. He died a hero. Two more grenades were fired at my home, trying to break down the front door. They rammed one of their vehicles into my garage so they could gain entry into my home. They attempted to sever my house AI to eliminate its defensive capability. We are warriors and we responded as warriors. These criminals were repulsed and killed, but they also managed to injure several more troopers and to kill several members of my household.

"Think about that," I continued. "Five vehicles and thirty-two heavily armed men who managed to kill seven men and wound five more. Was this gang satisfied? No. They came back again right after Atlantis had ravaged our people. Thirteen medical personnel -- that's two doctors, five nurses, and six medical support people -- all women mind you -- were kidnapped that same night as the air raid. Did they stop there? No. They broke into another place, a home full of women, some of them pregnant, and infants and young children, and kidnapped them, too. Almost thirty more adults and almost as many children, taken from their homes in the dead of night. They had survived a devastating air raid only to be kidnapped by vile men. Three brave troopers tried to escape but they were caught, beaten to delay their identity, and shot in the head." I slammed my hand on the desk. "They came to High Guard and took our people away! My people! They carried them off and like the others they took, they raped them. And once they were down in their lair, three more of my troopers died, raped to death at the hands of these miserable cowards!"

I glanced at Mack and Akama before I continued. "What they did to our women was horrific and monstrous. What was worse was yet to come. There were five draconians living in this underground playground for thieves and murderers. I don't know if they were just visiting or were there actively working with Obsidian Tears. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that they were there at all. Draconians have a fondness for using human women for sex, and a reputation for being rough enough to leave scars. Or to kill them during the act. As much as they enjoy women, they like children better. These aliens call our children baby monkey meat, and will eat them raw but prefer them cooked."

The men erupted into shouting, some even calling us liars.

"No, he's not lying!" Mack shouted, her voice boosted by the helmet's speakers. As the camera whipped around to catch her words, Mack popped up the glass of her helmet, and tears ran down her cheeks. "I know because we saw it. Little Neeko and Tenga and Chansi, their bodies treated so... so... We saw what they did! We saw it!"

Akama opened her helmet as well, and she had tears as well. "I'll never forget what they did to our sisters and our babies. Never! And you can't tell me differently!"

"I want you to know that I have two daughters, both of them adopted," I coldly informed the men from Capisco. Then I turned and looked at Sammi Reo as the camera shifted back to me. "Last year while still orphans, my girls were abducted and an attempt was made to sell them in the City of Capisco to draconian buyers. These fiends were caught, but not before my little girls, confined in tiny wire cages with not even room to stand, watched a draconian eat a child alive before their very eyes. More than a year later, my youngest still gets nightmares about what she witnessed."

I turned my focus back to the leaders of their police and city government. Crazy Wolf and Thunder Cloud looked appalled. "My troopers have seen it and I have seen it. Don't you dare tell me these are lies because I won't hear it! The technology the draconians use doesn't just allow them to appear human. It allows them to appear as any human they wish to impersonate. Even elected officials."

There were a few startled looks at that statement, and some obviously began to speculate. If they were just now realizing that fact, they hadn't even begun to address the problem of draconian infiltration.

"I myself have survived more than two dozen attempts on my life in the past year, and almost a third of my attackers were draconians in human disguise. Members of my family have also been targeted. In conclusion, the Empire of Chimorro conducted officially sanctioned military operations under your city. We tracked these criminals down the rat hole and back to their lair. We recovered the living and the bodies of our murdered women and children, and we made those predators pay!"

There was a pause for several long seconds while I deliberately calmed myself. "At this time, we are going through this underground city with a fine-tooth comb. As we collect relevant information, we will share it with your law enforcement agencies. Do not ask us to turn over any prisoners because there are none. Full stop. If you ask politely, we will consider your requests -- with conditions -- to allow a very select few individuals to assist with our investigations." I turned to Sammi. "We will also consider requests from Miss Reo and her team as well. Once we are done, we will seal the entrance.

"As for answering questions tonight, I've changed my mind. I am angry for what my people have suffered, and what they tried to do. Many of us are grieving or are still in shock. Formulate your questions and submit them to Air Security tomorrow. I will answer every question, even if it's no comment. Some may be redirected to the Base Commandant's Office. I'm going to go home and wake up my kids and hug them and thank the gods they are safe, thanks to the efforts of the Empire. Good night, Miss Reo. Gentlemen."

Sammi waved at me distractedly, talking in hushed tones with her assistants.

Most of the men started talking while others glared and argued with each other.

Jon and his partner walked us back to the large room, which I realized was the school cafeteria.

And we walked right into a disturbance. Two of the young women stood behind Sergeant Benti and the two Air Security troopers, refusing to talk to one of the social workers. When it was discovered that the women had recognized two of the cops and one of the missing social workers from their time underground, Thunder Cloud called out a BOLO for the missing representatives, and then both of them set off in hot pursuit.

The young women hugged Mack and Akama when they saw them, thanking them again for their rescue. After some discussion, the two young women agreed to talk to other police officers and social workers. The remaining social worker insisted she had nothing to do with what happened and tried her best to convince the women to give her a chance. When no one listened, she sat down and cried, saying all she wanted to do was help. I felt bad for her, but if the women didn't trust her, that was that.

Benti and the two security troopers were instructed to remain there until processing was completed. We were assured the Capisco officials would finish within a few hours. After that, they would be placed in various hotels and would begin getting services. Those whose families were in Capisco would be going home soon.