Starlight Gleaming Ch. 21 Pt. 03

"Kirfan is in the stockade. The men who abducted my troopers were punished by Doyya... you remember her? She was my best man."

"Ah, yes. You have very likable people working for you."

"I do, don't I. If you need to, take a nap today. Take a hot bath and relax. I love you, Izel Kandikan."

She beamed at me. "When I look at you, I feel like I'm a giddy teenager. Please, be careful, my husband?"

"Always." I winked at her as I stood. I tucked my shirt back into my trousers. Checked to make sure my patches and grade were in place. Filled my pockets with the usual. Secured both weapon belts and holsters. Opened the magazines of each one in turn, ensuring both were full, reloaded them. Once safeties were on, they went into their holsters.

"May I ask a question?"

"Of course. No secrets here." Pulling down a secured box from the upper shelf, I brought it out to my dresser.

"Why do you wear three different types of pistols?"

"Ah." Once the lock was open, I took out fresh magazines, put the partials into the box, locked it back up, and returned it to the closet. "The smaller one on my belt is my stunner. The one on my shoulder is a Caiman 35, a standard-issue pistol. It's good for most situations that require an armed response. The one on my right hip is a Wampag Talon. It shoots flechettes. They are like steel needles. Draconians have the ability to appear as humans. The device that disguises them also generates an energy shield that protects them from being shot. They're immune to the Caiman but the Talon actually penetrates their defenses. It takes a lot to bring them down, but they can be killed."

"I see."

"I have to go, Izel. I'll see you when I get home." I slid my cap under my left shoulder board.

"Without your vest? Take mine!"

"All right." I unhooked it from the doorknob and glanced at the size. I'd be lucky if I could get it across my shoulders. "Now that I have your vest, you really will have to stay here. Will you do that for me?"

"Yes, Husband. Another kiss goodbye?"

Moving over to the bed, she scooted to the edge. Leaning down, I cupped her face in my hands, giving her a tender kiss. "Better?"

Izel nodded. "Have a good day, Ranji."

Exiting the master bedroom, I was surprised to find two troopers posted on the upstairs level, one at each end.

"Morning, Commander," the closest one greeted.

"Morning." His name tag said Makstom. Field Corporal. I nodded to his counterpart. Chomber.

Coming out to the landing, I paused. There really were a lot of people downstairs. Some heading in or out of the gym, to the kitchen, front room, or outside. Moving by the kitchen, I saw Janetta and Zinja talking to someone, and then a moment later, Ixma appeared, carrying Mina.

As I made my way through the people sitting or moving about, whenever it was a trooper, they nodded to me. I nodded back.

"Are we ready?" I asked.

Ixma gave me a look. "Ranji, they want us to leave High Guard."

"We'll talk tonight," I said to her.

"Tenant!" Sisi exclaimed, then jumped down from her seat at the table and rushed over to me.

I bent down and scooped her up. "How's my princess?"

Her little arms squeezed me tight. "I missed you, Tenant! You were gone and we were worried... an... an... we got scared something happened. Calia told us to pray and send you magic hugs so we did." She wiped her eyes and nose on her sleeve.

Brushing her hair from her face, I kissed her cheek. "I needed those prayers and hugs yesterday, Sisi. We went to help rescue some people the night before, and then we had to fix the water for everyone, get more food, and so much more. As much as I'd like to stay here with you and Mina, I need to let you finish your meal and I need to go to work again. I promise you, I will be here for dinner tonight. Deal?"

She sniffed, wiping her face on her sleeves again. "Okay, Tenant. I love you."

"That's my girl." I kissed her forehead and set her down. "Go finish your breakfast now. Where's my Mina?"

Ixma moved her hip to let me give my younger daughter a hug and kiss. "The general's waiting, Ixma. Can you wait till tonight?"

She bit her lower lip, then nodded. "Yes, sir."

Giving her a kiss as well, I said, "Try not to worry, Little Mama. Have you seen Calia?"

"She was here a minute ago."

"Don't fuss about it. Everything is chaos right now." Scanning the kitchen, I saw Wit with Nariya and their son eating quietly. Cholan sat at the table, staring into her cahault. I could see the gym was packed with women and babies and piles of blankets.

Pulling Cholan to her feet, I picked her up and hugged her till she squeaked. "I'm so proud of you. Make sure you talk to your officer before you go anywhere, you hear?"

"Yes, I will." Her voice was hoarse, and she coughed after she spoke.

And of course, when I turned for Calia she was waiting for me. I simply drew her into my arms and kissed her. When I started to talk to her, she put her index finger to my lips. "I know, Master, and we'll talk when you get home. Have a good day at work."

Durie appeared to be missing. Spotting another officer, he looked up as I approached.

"Name's Hommes, sir. I replaced Durie about four hours ago. He's in one of the tents getting some shut-eye, Commander."

"Fair enough," I replied. "If the rest of Lady Izel's men manage to show up, give them courtesy, but my wife is resting. They are not to disturb her, and if they don't behave with respect to anyone in my household and especially to my wife, don't argue, just stun them and put them in cuffs until I return. If they give their word to not leave or further act out, they may be paroled. Meantime, Captain Tlacotli and her crew chief are going with me. I don't see my usual bodyguards here, so I hope they're all right. I need a patrol pair to drive us around today. I'll take the first pair you can spare."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Janetta and Zinja waiting by the door, my warrior's foot tapping impatiently.

"I'll pass the word about her ladyship's men, sir. Most of the women with children were on the rescue mission, Commander. Those that aren't here are at Second Home helping the survivors cope and get settled." Flipping through a couple of tabs on his tablet, Hommes called out, "Wayler, Klitch, get your gear and mount up. The Commander's waiting for his ride."

"Sir, yes, sir!" Two men scrambled to get their vests and helmets. One ran past us while the second one hurried over and saluted. "Corporal Wayler reporting as ordered, sir."

Hommes and I both returned his salute.

"Have you both eaten?" I asked.

"Yes, sir, when we returned about an hour ago. Just having a drink of cahault to warm the insides."

"Should I ask how long you've been on duty?"

"Since midnight, sir. We're both on a long shift because..." The corporal looked embarrassed.

"Hommes, take care of my family today. Wayler, let's head to the cruiser. On the way, I want you to finish that statement."

"We're needed. So many are dead, wounded, or still missing, Commander."

As we exited the front door, people made way for us. "We've been hit hard, and the rest of us have to pitch in and carry on. When the time comes, we'll pay tribute to the fallen and we will add to the names to the Wall of Honor. In the meantime, everyone is doing their duty, even if it means extra hours."

"Yes, sir."

A cruiser stopped in the remaining lane, lights suddenly coming on. The portable radio on Wayler's chest clicked, then a voice said, "Transport in position and waiting."

Because of the overflow, we walked out to the far side of the street, past the line of hazard cones and barricades to prevent anyone from getting accidentally run over.

Wayler opened the door so that we would enter from the curbside. Zinja and Janetta looked expectantly for me as the ranking officer to enter first.

Inclining my head, I nodded to Janetta. "Captain Tlacotli, after you."

"You are the ranking officer, Commander. You're supposed to get in first."

"And you are the Mistress of my household. Get in and don't argue with me about it."

Something passed over her face but it was gone before I could discern what it was. Though Zinja was absolutely deadpan, I did catch a twinkle in her eyes.

Janetta entered first, scooting to the far side. I slid in next, and Zinja came in last. After checking to make sure the sergeant was clear, Wayler closed the door and hurried around to climb in the front. While we buckled in, I gave the address of the warehouse to Klitch, and we began to move.

Per my promise, I called High Guard Command and Control. I identified myself and asked to speak to Operations. After explaining the need for the airfield crew needing a working bulldozer, I was told they would look at my request and give me a decision. Then he actually hung up on me.

Zinja looked at me with wide eyes. The speaker on the other end had been clear enough for them to hear both sides.

Glancing at Janetta, I said, "I think I will get a faster response by talking to General Barankoshto directly. Is that satisfactory?"

Staring out the window, Janetta said, "That's fine, Commander."

"I suppose now is a good time to let you know what happened yesterday."

"Would be nice," Janetta replied, glancing at me. Her black her eyes simmered.

I exhaled. "Kirfan and his men broke protective custody yesterday. They killed seventeen and severely wounded three soldiers in the process."

Both women gave me their full attention.

"After they broke loose, they went on a rampage, heading first to Housing and the BOC. With communications such a mess, the women there weren't even able to call for help. They killed Sergeant Gan because she resisted, but all the others were severely beaten as they were raped. Next, they went to our place but apparently were frightened by how many armed troopers were present. Having found out the new location of Izel's men, they went there, looking to kill them. Everyone was gone, however, so they settled for vandalizing the place and then setting it on fire. Somewhere along the way, they learned about the conference location. They broke into the building. Fortunately, Sammi Reo and her assistants hid out. All the while, getting closer and closer were Ground Service, looking for some payback for their murdered brothers and sisters. And questions so far?"

"Sammi Reo. Is that the reporter who came with us to pick up the kids from the west coast?"

"Yes."

"Continue," Janetta told me.

"It was after lunch. By that time, we'd been awake for going on thirty-six hours and needed a break. With the smoke and all the talking, our voices were going out and we needed a few hours rest before finishing the talks. One of the troopers found us a barracks to lay down for a while. The cot in the NCO quarters wasn't any better than the bunk beds, but it did offer some privacy. Pretty much as soon as our heads hit the pillows, both of us were out. Do I need to tell you who woke me up?"

Janetta looked at me for a few seconds, then her eyes briefly widened before turning to stare out the window. "No, Ranji, you don't." When I didn't say anything, she prompted, "Go on and finish."

"Troopers Grannok and Jomin were instrumental in helping save a dozen troopers and their children. A few hours later, both died while protecting me and Izel. Those few seconds bought me enough time to wake up, put our cot in the way, and give them some hell."

"Did you?" Janetta asked.

"I didn't get an exact count, but I emptied my Caiman and was half-way through my Talon when they withdrew and then tried to talk me out. Before things could get heated, however, the Ground Service arrived, rifles and stunners blazing. Trapped between twenty armored soldiers and me, Kirfan and his men surrendered and were taken into custody. Unbelievably, even while a prisoner he still tried to threaten both me and Izel. I didn't take that well and beat him up while he was cuffed."

Janetta snorted. "Honor is for those who have it. Kirfan killed your men and threatened to take Izel from you. He deserved no mercy."

"It was Izel who stopped me. No, she didn't ask for her brother's sake. I had promised the Commandant not to kill him and reminded me of that."

"Is that it?"

"Pretty much. The captain was gracious enough to loan me two of his men until you showed up. Since we were running off adrenaline, we returned early to finish the talks and sign the contracts. Again, I cannot stress how helpful she was. She read not just the ones in Queschuan, but also those in their own language. I learned a lot just listening to her, and more than once, she saved me from accepting crappy deals. When it was all over, we sat down to rest and fell asleep. I was hit once during the firefight. The vest saved me. Satisfied?"

Janetta sighed. "It's probably cold now, but best give him his breakfast, Zinja. All right, Ranji, even I will admit that the circumstances were extenuating the day before and yesterday. And thanks to you, we have water, food, and supplies coming in. You and Izel probably saved thousands. It just disturbs me that you didn't think to even call home to give us a word of how you were or when you would be home."

"I know that and regret it. I said I'm sorry and I will say it again. I am sorry. I screwed up. We were both tired from a long day of stress before we even began getting assistance from our neighbors. By morning, all I could do was focus on the task at hand. That's not an excuse. I worried my family unnecessarily and I bear that responsibility. I will try to make amends."

We pulled alongside a lot of other vehicles. I wolfed down the sandwich wrap.

"We'll talk about this later. Come on, Zinja."

The troopers opened the doors for us. Zinja collected the thermos. After securing the vehicle, they escorted us into the building. Inside were the expected rows of shelves.

We could see the office where two computer techs worked examining files. Outside that office was three Ground Service keeping watch.

One of the soldiers approached, asking, "You must be Commander Kandikan. Do you wish to descend?"

I nodded. "The general is expecting us."

Showing us where to stand, he said, "Stand to the middle." A switch was thrown. Part of the shelves moved against a wall and the upper half lifted to the ceiling, making enough space for a large vehicle. Then the floor shifted, and we began to descend.

"Do you hear it?" I asked both my troopers.

"Sir?" Klitch asked. "I don't hear anything."

"Exactly," I replied. "This was how they were able to hide this for so long. We would still be looking if someone hadn't gotten greedy."

At the bottom to the rear were a few small rooms, one of which was occupied by another squad of Ground Service soldiers. Out in front of us was the real surprise.

It was a two-lane road, paved in concrete. The walls and ceiling were concrete as well, with recessed panels for lighting the way. Within a few hundred feet, the road began to curve away south.

In front of us, however, was a security cruiser. Standing beside it was Lieutenant Ja-See.

Giving us a short bow, she said, "Welcome to the rat-hole, Commander. The general sent me down to wait for you. Without the vehicle, it's a bit of a walk."

"It didn't disturb your work too much, I hope?" I commented.

"This actually answers some questions. Earlier this morning, one of the techs confirmed that the closed-circuit cameras had been bypassed, allowing the criminals to temporarily switch the feed to another street of warehouses four blocks to the south. Using our software, I've been able to use their connection to verify five external connection sites, and have breached their private network servers. We are learning a lot about this rats' nest. The local law enforcement should be pleased and willing to turn a blind eye to our underground invasion."

"Invasion?" Janetta asked as we got into the cruiser.

The troopers assigned to me got into the front with the lieutenant. Klitch stood for her to move so he could drive, but she told him, "Just get in. I know the way."

As we buckled in, she answered Janetta. "Certainly, Captain. Most of this mini-underground empire lies within the city limits of Capisco. However, there's no hurry in turning it over to them. We want to make sure we have evaluated all the security risks first. The general, after loudly cursing your predecessor, has ordered that no rats be allowed to escape."

Once we were all buckled in, we set off.

"I'm sorry," Janetta said. "Who are you again?"

"I am Lieutenant Ja-See, Captain Tlacotli. Tactical Ops, but it's temporary. Sorry, Commander, I think you were going to say something and I cut you off."

"I'm not finished, Lieutenant. What is it that you do for the Commander?" Janetta persisted.

"I work for Tikún Travel, Captain. My task is to find gaps in operations and plug them. Though credit for most of this one must go to Lovyanchiti. She knew where it was, I merely found the mechanism that operated it."

"Do you normally speak about a superior officer in that manner? She is Commander Kandikan's Second and she outranks you."

"Yes, well, I don't report to her, Captain, or to you. Commander, at this moment we're passing directly underneath the Main Gate. We'll be coming up on what we think is called a chop shop. Stolen vehicles descend by another set of elevators. They are cut up into parts, making it harder to identify a vehicle by unique engine and manufacturer ID tags. In the process, the old tags are ground down and a new set of numbers using a hydraulic press are stamped into the block. All using fake numbers, of course."

She came to a stop so we could look down the side street to where vehicles on lifts were arrayed. Bodies in bags were being stacked along one wall. A pair of soldiers in power armor watched us briefly, then moved out of sight.

"Some of the missing women ended up here," Ja-See said, her voice quieter. "They were quite badly used and two died before we arrived. Another died during the rescue, killed so she wouldn't talk. Two more may not make it. They need nano-treatment, but there are so many with burns and other critical injuries, and with the loss of the Naval Hospital, there are no cryo-facilities to give them a chance at life. Anything you want to see down that way?"

"The general's waiting," I answered. "Best not be later than I am."

She resumed driving. "That first encounter set the stage for the rest of the fighting. It was harsh, but I think it was necessary. Of the twenty-seven women and eighteen children, we lost nine altogether. Your Second talked to the troops, especially the women. Covered themselves in blood." She took a breath and continued. "Five draconians were discovered down here. It grieves me to say they killed three children and had them cooked. They were discovered and despite several injuries, they were attacked. There were several injured, but the murderers were all caught and received the Empire's judgment.

"But I digress. We found a lot more captives than we expected. Fifty-two women from the Empire, some of whom had been missing for years, and not all of them from High Guard, either.

"These criminals were equally cruel to their own people. We discovered close to a hundred women of varying ages from the Seven Nations, most of them recent acquisitions. Mostly runaways or poor women eager for jobs or a chance at fame. Not all of them have been raped. I'm told that virgins fetch a higher price in some countries. We also found women from other nations in captivity. The Empire interrupted a brisk slave trade that used to go on down here.

"From the Eastern Islands, we recovered sixty-seven females, ages twelve and up. We also have twenty-six black women, mostly from Ashoka, but there are other nations represented. If you can believe it, we also recovered a lot of white women. Twenty are Aesir and another thirty-one are from Atlantis. Ground Service CID is examining those pretty intensely, but they all appear to be of lower social classes -- slaves in some cases sold to new masters -- poor women who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.