Stolen Valor

by Kal Spriggs

  That didn’t make any sense to me. The Kavacha Mark V had superior survivability. It was tough. I would have loved to have something like this back on Century. The TBA-2s were awesome weapons. In my mind, they should be used aggressively. Using them the way they were training ran opposite to what felt right in my mind. It’s like they want us to be hesitant.

  Institutional caution, minimizing risk? Shadow asked. It didn’t seem to make sense. From what she’d said, Crown Prince Abrasax had launched an all-or-nothing play to seize Century. The pirate, Wessek, had run a risky operation right under the noses of Century’s Enforcers.

  But the Enforcers were corrupt, Shadow noted, and Abrasax thought he’d be coming in by surprise and that our Planetary Militia would be too paralyzed to act.

  That was true. But still, it seemed like a weird tendency. I mean, they were in the interstellar conquest business. Teaching caution rather than aggression seemed bizarre. Maybe it’s just this scenario package.

  I went through the scenario again, this time doing the “approved” solution and following the guidance of the scenario. It gave me a ninety percent completion. I figured I’d take what I could get and moved on, but I filed the information away for later.

  ***

  “Marked improvement, Entrant Vars,” Richardson told me later that afternoon. He’d taken each of us aside one at a time while we were doing maintenance and cleaning our gear and now it was my turn. “Your initial scenarios you showed limited reliance on scouting the enemy and some risky behavior patterns, but it looks like you came into parameters relatively well.”

  “Why the emphasis on scouting and recon, sir?” I asked the question on impulse and mentally kicked myself for it as I saw his expression shift. Still, it was probably best to go on, since I’d already asked the question, “I would think a certain level of aggression would work in combination with the Kavacha Mark Five.”

  “Aggression has its place, Vars,” Richardson answered. “But it must be tempered by knowledge. As we complete Second Screening, we’ll go into a study of military history and doctrine, but we want to drill into all of you that resources are finite, that the resources you preserve now might prove vital for later battles.” He pointed at my green painted Kavacha Mark V. “That costs more than a warp envelope fighter. Training our elite ground forces how to operate it in combat costs far more than a it costs to equip a company of Guard Army infantry. The loss of even one is a serious impact on our forces. Our warp envelope fighters and warp drive warships are each extremely valuable and precious. The Emperor entrusts us with their use. Should we expose them to unnecessary risk, we fail him. Should we lose ships and fighters when we might have avoided those losses, then we are failing not just his trust, but that of those under our command.”

  I frowned as I considered that, “Sir, I understand that, but it seems to me that under some circumstances, responding with immediate aggression would be a better response than pausing to consider the best solution.”

  “It’s an approach, Vars, but it is not the best one. And remember, for now, we’re teaching you how to survive Second Screening,” Richardson said. “After that, there will be many, many opportunities for you to see what it is that I mean.”

  “Thanks sir,” I answered. I wasn’t sure why I’d even bothered to say anything.

  To my surprise, he went on, “I’m glad that you asked, actually, Vars. I’m actually a little impressed with your overall performance, given your background. You’ve begun to earn a place here in Jade Flight.”

  “Thank you, sir,” I answered automatically. I didn’t feel that way, but I appreciated that he said it. Maybe he even meant it. It doesn’t matter, it’s not like there’s a future here for me.

  I went back to cleaning my gear. My mind, though, was going to the problem of House Mantis down in the tunnels. I had to find a way past them. But I kept turning over the problem of what they were doing down there in the first place. Capturing or killing me and Jonna wasn’t what had brought them. They were bringing stuff in and out of the Heart.

  Or in and out of the spaceport. The thought shifted how I thought about the situation and gave me pause. I’d been assuming they were smuggling some kind of goods into the city. What if it was the other way around? What if they were trying to smuggle something off-world, something in the Heart that they needed to slip out?

  Or what if they’re working for someone, helping them to slip something offworld?

  That was something that shifted everything around. I’d assumed that Tong and this mysterious patron he had mentioned was just some corrupt officer. But what if this was bigger than that? I knew now that the Pirate Houses weren’t even run by humans, they were aliens. They had alien motivations and plans. What if this was some conspiracy among them?

  There’s something you should know, Shadow whispered to me, Jiden found out that the scientist back on Century, the one behind her implants and using quicksilver for them, was working with the Erandi, she might have been one herself.

  What? I looked up in shock, then looked around to see if anyone had noticed. When no one looked over at me, I went back to cleaning grime out of the buckle on my rifle’s sling. Why wouldn’t she tell anyone?

  It was sort of a secret project, Shadow told me. And since Charterer Beckman was involved and it would have made her bad, she had it all buried. But it makes sense that the scientist was introduced to Beckman through Drakkus, seeing as she was working for them.

  I considered that. The implication was that the pirate who’d kidnapped me, Wessek, must have slipped this Erandi scientist into Century and linked them up. Wessek had been working for Crown Prince Abrasax, though, not one of the Pirate Houses. In fact, he’d made enemies of House Mantis.

  What that meant, I didn’t know… but I knew someone who might be able to shed some light on things. I glanced over at where Princess Kiyu was cleaning her weapon, her expression focused, her green eyes focused. If she noticed my attention, she didn’t show it.

  It followed that if the Erandi had infiltrated the highest levels of the Drakkus Empire, then she would know about it. In fact, it might explain some of why she didn’t seem to much like Jonna. If House Mantis were doing something nefarious down in the Underwarrens, then she might know what it was. She also may well expose me if she thinks I’m endangering some scheme she’s a part of.

  The obvious answer was for me to just throw my hands up and be done with all of them. With Shadow’s help, in theory, I didn’t even need to wait for a patrol. She might be able to hack the control panel on the lift and I could slip down into the tunnels. With Lokka’s help, I might be able to move straight to the spaceport. I knew where to link up with Vivar’s uncle, what to say. I could be home in a couple of months.

  All I’d have to do was abandon six strangers who’d put their trust in me and turn my back on an alien conspiracy that might endanger the lives of millions.

  Hock, when you put it that way… Shadow gave a mental sigh. I guess I better find a way for you and the Princess to talk, huh?

  ***

  Chapter 13: I Piss Off My Not-Girlfriends

  My opportunity came a full week later, when the instructors had us conducting one on one training on the parade ground. Shadow had identified areas where the security monitors weren’t as prevalent and where she could interfere by increasing the pickup of ambient noise so that Kiyu and I could talk without being overheard.

  As we rotated over, she and I squared off against one another. I figured I didn’t have a lot of time, so as we squared off, I began, “I saw something interesting down in the Underwarrens on patrol.”

  She didn’t answer. The instructors ordered us to begin and she drove in a kick at my stomach that I barely blocked. Before I could begin to react, she drove an elbow in at my ribs and caught my arm, swinging it around and forcing me to the ground. “Talking is dangerous, we’re being monitored.”

  “We can talk freely at the moment,” I told her.

  “So you thi
nk,” she breathed in my ear, releasing my arm and stepping back. We squared off again and this time she waggled her fingers at me. “Come at me, Vars.”

  My shoulder was hurting from how she’d torqued me to the ground and my ribs hurt from the elbow. I’d been raised to be respectful of women, but I’d also had an older sister. I didn’t hold back as I went at her, driving a couple wild-swinging punches at her.

  She sidestepped, though, and drove a kick into my stomach that took all the wind out of me. As I dropped to my knees, she got on my back, wrapping her legs and arms around me, trying to choke me with her arms and holding on with her legs.

  I could barely breathe, but I managed to keep a hand tucked under her arms. She wasn’t trying at her full strength, so I was able to gasp out, “House Mantis is down there. Slipping something out of the Heart. Crates coming out, crates coming back in from the spaceport.”

  “They’re pirates, slavers, and smugglers, they do all kinds of slipping in and out of the city,” she answered, her voice calm. But her grip loosened enough that I could breathe and the force of her legs squeezing my stomach eased. She was listening.

  “But what do the Erandi want to smuggle out of the city?” I asked as calmly as I could manage.

  She went totally still. That was all the confirmation I really needed. They were aliens and she knew it. I used her surprise, breaking her choke hold on me and spinning out of her hold.

  I came to my feet only a meter or so away from her. Her expression was troubled and her green eyes were dark. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Armstrong.”

  The fact that she’d used my actual name meant I had definitely got her attention.

  One of the instructors noticed we’d paused and barked at us and I dove at her in an awkward swing. She caught me as I came in, though, doing some kind of twist that left me face down on the pavement. She hadn’t done it as hard, though, just enough force that I went down, but without slamming into the surface. “I have to assume that Hayden told you about them. Whatever she’s told you, do not even begin to imagine she’s told you the whole truth or even that she understands the entirety.”

  “Regardless, they’re doing something down there,” I told her. “Tell me this, do you think it’s something that will help your people… or hurt them?”

  “Nothing that we should have any part in, yet I somehow suspect if you told someone, it would accomplish nothing,” Kiyu muttered. She stepped back and waited as I got up.

  “Rotate partners!” The instructor shouted.

  “I will need to see for myself,” She told me as she walked away.

  I gave a slight sigh of relief… right up until Jonna stepped opposite me.

  Your girlfriend looks hocking mad, Shadow whispered to me. You probably shouldn’t go rolling around and getting sweaty with other girls.

  Shut up, I growled at her.

  “Begin!” The instructor shouted.

  Jonna came at me, kicking out in a blow that would have broken my knee if I hadn’t side-stepped. As it was, the hit struck my thigh hard enough that my leg went numb.

  I stumbled as I tried to get clear of her next blow and she drove her elbow in my stomach hard enough to drive all the fight out of me. I’d doubled over, trying hard not to vomit, and she shoved me down, hard, “What are you doing?” She hissed at me. “I told you not to trust that hingara!”

  “She knows something,” I gasped.

  “You’re going to get us killed,” Jonna whispered in my ear. “Don’t trust a thing she says. She’s culpable, her whole family is culpable.”

  She let me up and then gave me a moment to get to my feet. My left leg shot through with pins and needles and my knee trembled, it barely held my weight. Sooner or later I was going to get tired of getting beat up. Nah, Shadow laughed, you’re a glut for punishment, especially from pretty girls. I think you just like the attention.

  I manfully ignored that.

  Jonna came at me again and while I managed to dodge her leading kick, this time she caught me in a hit to the side of my head that made me reel a bit. Before I could catch my balance, she’d caught me by the hair on the back of my head and drove the heel of her hand into my forehead. My whole world exploded into stars and the next thing I knew, I was flat on my back, the world spinning.

  “I guess I misjudged the blow,” Jonna explained, her voice patently insincere as one of the instructors glared at her.

  “This is training in your own flight, entrant,” he growled. “Pull another hit like that on any of your fellow flight and I’ll have the lot of you crawling across the parade ground until you can’t move. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, sir,” Jonna snapped back.

  “Help him up,” he told her. “Get him back to your barracks if he’s unable to continue training.”

  He walked back to the center while Jonna turned to give me a hand. “I don’t need your help,” I growled at her. I rolled over and pushed myself to my feet. The world still swayed a bit, but I wasn’t about to let that stop me.

  She gave me a sour look, “Sorry I hit you that hard, it’s just you hit a nerve.” She looked around to be certain no one would overhear, “You don’t understand the history between me and—”

  “That’s because you haven’t explained it,” I snarled. “No one ever explains anything. Instead I’m just in the dark, trying to figure things out. But then you get angry at me when I don’t understand.” I spat to the side, “I’m tired of it. From here on out, either you treat me like an adult, treat me with respect, or we’re done.”

  She gave me a shocked look, “I—”

  “Rotate!” the instructor bellowed.

  I turned away. Sanjaya came up next. He gave me a bit of a smile, “You ready?”

  I was in a pretty vile mood, but I appreciated him asking anyway, “Yeah, might as well.”

  We circled a bit. Sanjaya shifted his balance from foot to foot, “You’re pretty aggressive, like you are when we’re in Tangun’s Steps.”

  I didn’t answer, but I figured it didn’t need an answer. I didn’t have any formal grappling or hand-to-hand training. What seemed to serve me best was going at my opponent.

  He darted in at me with a lunge and I slapped his hands away and tried to grab him, but he danced back out of my reach. He gave me a nod, “You’re fast. If we get time, I can teach you some techniques I know.”

  “I’d appreciate that,” I admitted.

  He kicked out at me, and as I stepped back, he lunged forward in a punch. I took that hit on my chest but wrapped him up with my arms and lifted him off the ground. He struggled a bit, but I swung him down on the pavement moderately hard, flat on his back. It wasn’t the bone-crushing impact it could have been, but it still knocked the wind out of him. I offered him a hand up and he was gracious enough to take it. “Maybe aggression and strength have their place,” Sanjaya admitted ruefully.

  “Sometimes they do,” I smiled back. It felt odd to smile. I hadn’t had an occasion to do much of that lately.

  “How about you show me some holds?” I asked him.

  “Yeah, let’s try that,” Sanjaya rubbed at his back, “let’s definitely try that.”

  ***

  The instructors seemed to be running out of basic-level stuff to teach us and we spent more and more time over the next weeks in our simulations under Richardson’s tutelage. The scenarios themselves became more complicated, but with Shadow giving me the grading parameters and objectives, it became more about doing them the way the Institute wanted and less about learning tactics.

  I found that increasingly irritating. The scenarios didn’t tell me how to fight them out, but there were expectations built into them that I found it hard to wrap my head around. The aversion to losses of forces was the one that I found the hardest to understand. The Drakkus Empire had the largest forces in the Periphery, the band of thinly settled space along the edge of official UN Star Guard Space. Just what I knew from my short time at the Academy and things I’d heard,
they were rumored to have forces equal or greater to some of the Guard Task Forces, if not equal to a Guard Task Group: two or three capital ships, a couple of fleet carriers, and dozens of cruisers and destroyers. From what I’d seen, they were training tens of thousands of new personnel. The Drakkus Imperial Space Korps already terrified people and I was getting the impression they had far more than people had suspected… so why were they so adverse to putting it at risk?

  Conservation of force was central to every single one of their scenarios. Also, it seemed that they emphasized identifying enemy weak points and a slow, gradual escalation of force. On Century, the Academy had drilled an instant reaction of maximum force to a threat. It was what they taught us to use in ambushes and close quarters combat in the Grinder and other training.

  It sort of came to a point for me as Richardson talked us through an after action review of a scenario we’d done as a flight. I’d been just a grunt in this one, so I was able to listen not just to what he said, but what the others were looking at and what he was pointing out… as well as things I felt like they were missing.

  “At this point,” Richardson highlighted where we’d come under fire from the enemy, “they’d massed their main force against you. You fell back, which was good, but then you failed to break contact and instead fought in place.”

  “Sir,” Osmund nodded. He’d been the flight leader for that run. In my opinion, he’d done a well enough job. We’d lost a couple people, but we’d defeated the simulated enemy when they came into the defensive choke point.

  “That worked, but it might have been better to lure them further out of position and bypass them,” Richardson went on. “You’d already identified that they pulled most of their forces away from their flanks. You could have used your Kavacha Mark Five’s superior speed to break contact, flank them, and bypass their force to seize your objective.”

  Osmund frowned at that, clearly having difficulty with the idea. He wasn’t alone. “Sir, the objective in the scenario was to defeat the enemy force and seize the objective.”